A new social app is taking Gen Z by storm, and it’s not from Meta, Apple, or Spotify.
San Francisco-based Airbuds has quietly exploded among younger users by mixing music streaming with social networking. The app lets people share what they’re listening to in real-time through a smartphone widget, while also offering fun ways to react, chat, and express themselves.
On Wednesday, Airbuds announced it raised $5 million in fresh funding from Seven Seven Six, the venture firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
The growth numbers are eye-catching:
- Over 15 million downloads so far
- 5 million monthly active users
- 1.5 million daily users
- 96% positive ratings across 9,400+ reviews
Airbuds connects to popular streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Amazon Music, and Audiomack. With its widget, your friends can instantly see what you’re playing, and you can respond with emojis, stickers, or even selfies.
Beyond just streaming, Airbuds encourages self-expression. Users can customize their profile (“Space”) with favorite songs, lyrics, and photos. The app even gives a Weekly Recap, like a mini version of Spotify Wrapped, plus a “ghost mode” for when you want to keep your music private.
Most of Airbuds’ fanbase today are high school and college students in the U.S., but the app is gaining traction in the U.K., Australia, Brazil, and Mexico too.
Related: Spotify Launches Lossless Music Streaming For Premium Users.
With its new funding, Airbuds plans to expand its features, test subscriptions, and explore ways to connect artists with fans.
The big difference? While Apple and Spotify have struggled to build a true music social network, Airbuds seems to have nailed it by keeping things simple, fun, and social-first—and Gen Z can’t get enough.
