Reserved by Spotify: Your Questions, Answered
Rene Volker, our Head of Live Events, shares everything you need to know about how Reserved works, who gets offers, and what to expect.
Reserved is a new experience for Spotify Premium subscribers that identifies an artist’s most dedicated fans on Spotify and holds two tour tickets for them before the general sale opens. You show up for the artist on Spotify; we show up for you with a reserved window to purchase.
Reserved is now live in the U.S. and, if you’re here, you probably have questions. Let’s walk you through it.
How do I know if I have Reserved access for a show?
After an artist announces their tour (this will typically be a few days before tickets go on sale), you’ll get an email or push notification from us letting you know you have Reserved access. To make sure you don’t miss it, keep your notifications turned on for live concerts and events, keep your app updated, and make sure location is enabled in your Live Events Feed.
You can also find Reserved offers in “Your Updates,” on your Home screen (look out for the shiny ticket!), and other areas across the platform.
Does it cost anything extra?
Nope, there are no added fees from Spotify. Reserved is included with your Spotify Premium subscription in the U.S. Ticket prices are set by the artist and their team.
What kind of seats will be available?
We want to give you options, so Reserved offers come with a range of seats and price points. Specific availability varies by show.
How does Spotify decide who gets Reserved access? Is this a lottery or random selection?
We look at how you’ve actually engaged with an artist over time (streams, shares, saves, and more), not just who’s hit play the most. We don’t share every detail of how it works to avoid encouraging anyone to engage strategically rather than genuinely, but Reserved is about the full picture of your fandom, not a single number.
There’s nothing random about who gets chosen! Reserved is based entirely on your history with an artist on Spotify. You can’t win it or luck into it. You earn it by showing up for an artist over time.
Won’t this just reward people who stream an artist on repeat or leave music playing in the background?
Short answer: no. Reserved isn’t just about who has the most streams. We look at a wide range of signals including saves, shares, and other activity, so leaving music on in the background won’t give anyone a leg up. It’s designed to find the fans who are actually engaged, not just the ones with the longest playlists on repeat.
Can I do anything to improve my chances next time?
Reserved looks at the full picture of your fandom over time and is constantly updating, so it’s not just one and done. The best thing you can do is to keep showing up for the artists you love on Spotify by doing things you probably already do—like streaming, saving, sharing, and more.
Is Reserved available for every tour on Spotify?
Not yet. We launched in the U.S. in partnership with Live Nation, and powered by Ticketmaster, which means Reserved will be available for many of the most sought-after tours right out of the gate. As more tours are announced and more partners join over time, we’ll expand to more artists across all venue sizes, from cozy clubs to massive stadiums.
More markets beyond the U.S. are coming soon. Expanding Reserved globally is very much the plan, so stay tuned!
Will Reserved only be available for big artists’ tours?
Nope. Reserved is for artists at every level. We’re just getting started, and as more tours are announced, you’ll see more artists and shows added throughout 2026.
How many tickets does Spotify hold for Reserved?
The number will vary by artist, tour, and market. But this isn't a small lottery. When you look around the arena, a meaningful share of the crowd will be there because their fandom was recognized on Spotify. With ROLE MODEL's tour, for example, Reserved will have reached fans across 19 tour dates.
Why didn’t I get a Reserved offer even though I’m a huge fan?
If you didn’t get an offer this time, we get how that’s disappointing. There are a few reasons you might not have received one. The tour may not have a stop near your location. Reserved is currently only available to Premium subscribers in the U.S., ages 18 and up. And if your notifications weren’t turned on, you may have missed your window, so it’s worth checking your settings for next time.
Reserved is designed exclusively for an artist’s most dedicated fans, and the data backs that up. The fans who will have received Reserved access for ROLE MODEL’s tour, for example, were 23x more likely than the average ROLE MODEL fan to engage with him on Spotify, beyond just hitting play. These tickets went to people who have shown up time and time again for ROLE MODEL consistently.
Remember, your eligibility is updated in real time, so not getting an offer for this tour doesn’t mean you won’t get one for the next or for another artist!
I saw online that my favorite artist is participating in Reserved but didn’t see anything else anywhere. How do I know if this is true?
If your favorite artist’s tour is part of Reserved and you’re eligible, you’ll hear directly from Spotify by email or push notification. No notification from us? It’s probably not real. When in doubt, reach out to Spotify Support.
If I didn’t get a Reserved offer, can I still buy tickets on Spotify?
Unclaimed Reserved tickets become available to the next-most-dedicated eligible fans. We’ll notify them the same way, and tickets are available while supplies last.
If you didn’t get an offer, you won’t be able to buy tickets through the Reserved program, but you can still find tickets for the general on-sale when it opens on Spotify.