Star Jam 2025 (Part 1): The in-person Jam!

[Luan]

Hey Folks!

We’re bringing you part 1 of a really exciting blog today, as we reflect on a special week of events that just took place for our Spotify Stars Program*. We’re going to share with you the magic of “The Jam”, a celebration that takes place both virtually and in-person (this year at Spotify’s Sweden HQ).

* Stars are volunteers who support Community users all year round, and through their contributions earn special perks like a place at the in-person Jam. We hope this blog really gives you a feel for what the Stars Program is and what opportunities it provides. 

Part 1:
In person Jam 2025: 

“A whirlwind of learning, laughter, and music! Proving that when you bring passionate people who spend 100s of hours volunteering their time for the love of music, connection, and helping others together from different time zones, magic happens” - Melody, Community manager. 

Hey folks, to talk to the in-person element of the Jam, it’s Spotify Star Luan here. Last week, 10 of us landed in Stockholm to Spotify’s head office, flying in from 7 different countries for Star Jam 2025.

I usually think of a community as a live jam session. The magic doesn’t happen because we all have the same instrument, it happens because we’re all listening to the same beat. It’s the shift from playing loud to playing together. That was exactly the vibe at the Spotify Stars Jam. Without that connection, we’re just a collection of solo acts. With it, we become a movement...

Even though the Spotify Stars Jam 2025 took place in a different season this time around (and even ended up in a snowball fight!), the location was very familiar. 

Stockholm, the home of Spotify and where it all began. As always, it was a huge pleasure to revisit the Spotify HQ and get a glimpse of everything happening backstage. This is my third Jam, but I always say it feels like my first. After all, the experiences at every Jam are unique. And of course, sharing these moments with other Stars and our beloved Community Staff makes everything even more fun and magical, just like music.

But let’s get to what went down in Sweden this year, at the very first winter edition of the Spotify Stars Jam…

Monday: Touchdown and Tunes

On Monday, we all started arriving and immediately noticed the change in weather, perfect conditions for layering up! There’s nothing better to shake off the jet lag than an initial meet up, so those who arrived earliest hung out and explored the famous Abba and Avicii museums! Some folks hit the DJ decks, whilst others tried their voices in the Karaoke experience rooms. Naturally, since we’re talking about Spotify, music was a must. 

To continue the music theme, although only 10 of us head to Stockholm, the week is about connection, so we joined our other Community Stars and team mates virtually back home for a hybrid Listening Party. It was full of great tracks, lots of fun, and the discovery of artists, songs, and genres from the members' different countries. It was hosted by Star @Noah, who even added the addition of a track by our dear Community team project manager, who is quite the artist herself!

We shared pizza, swapped tracks, and set the sonic tone for the week ahead.

Tuesday: VIP Access & Live Music

To kick-off the first main day in the office, after a chilled hotel breakfast to warm us up, we headed straight to the office. 

One of the coolest perks of being a Star is the access, and we went straight in with a session meeting Sten Garmark, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Consumer Experience at Spotify! It was a real honour to meet Sten, and hear him talk so passionately about Spotify. You can tell he absolutely loves what he does, and that was inspiring. We can’t spill the tea on everything from the event, but as I said that’s one of the best parts! Let’s just say we got an exclusive look under the hood, and the chance to talk about the future in this product special.

Following our session with Sten, we had an exclusive tour, seeing where the main magic happens day to day. From the Spotifiers' workspaces to the common areas, device testing labs (since Spotify is everywhere), and even an incredible studio, we got fully immersed in the office and culture and really felt like “part of the band”!

After lunch, we moved on to hear about how Spotify integrates with voice assistants and gained a better understanding of the recent ChatGPT implementation. It’s one thing hearing about these things online, but another really getting stuck in. I loved it.

As the day continued, we then met with the team that tests Spotify’s functionality and usability across different devices and platforms. We took the chance to listen to some music, get our hands on devices I didn’t even know existed, and even play some video games. It was an incredible experience.

Later on, as the dark winter skies closed in on the frozen city and festive lights flicked on outside the windows, we had another really special meeting, this time with co-founder Martin Lorentzon! Martin’s been to a few Jams now, and taken the time to meet with us. He once again welcomed us warmly, and spoke so openly and always brings his personality to the stage. It was brilliant, and we all loved sharing our Spotify experiences and talking about lots of different topics, from Spotify's beginnings to the future.

To wrap up the day on a high note, we left HQ to get ready for a concert (but not just any concert). We had the chance to see Benson Boone on his American Heart Tour from a box at the Avicii Arena. I can honestly say it was unique to watch a global-level artist (it was my first time), especially with a Premium experience like the one we had. (Thanks again, Spotify!)

Wednesday: Community, Tapas, and a Winter Surprise

On our third and final day of activities, we started by discussing the future of the community. I can tease that some changes are coming, and our community will have a totally new look and feel for the first time in a few years. 

Following that, we had another excellent session, this time on accessibility and inclusion, learning more about how Spotify can become more accessible to everyone.

There was more, including discussions on Search, and chats with the Desktop team, but my lips are sealed for now.

Last but not least, we visited an Audio Lab, where we could see (or rather, hear) the difference in music playback across different formats, including Lossless. It was a true lesson on the physics behind music, and we understood much more how our perception of audio can change depending on the platform or device we are using. Without a doubt, it was fascinating.

After a long (but fruitful) day, we gathered for a tour of Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s old town, where we saw the first signs of incoming snow. Finally, we stopped at a restaurant, all together, to exchange ideas and experiences while sharing an excellent menu and saying, not "goodbye," but "see you later." On the walk back to the hotel, the snow was the main attraction, leaving plenty of room for fun and, of course, that snowball fight.

For some of the Stars, this was their very first time seeing snow. It was the perfect, chaotic, snowy ending to a perfect week.

Virtual Friends, Real Family

Looking back, Star Jam 2025 was about so much more than product updates and office tours.

Leaving Stockholm is always bittersweet. Watching the snow fall as we said our "see you laters" was the perfect outro to an intense week. I came home with a suitcase full of souvenirs, but more importantly, with a renewed sense of purpose and with a feeling that we are the band. 

And after this Jam, I can confidently say I think, we are sounding better than ever. 

To hear about the virtual Jam, stay tuned for part 2 coming later this week...