2 min readFor years, many runners have been frustrated with the lack of synchronicity between their Strava and Spotify apps, sometimes making it difficult to record runs while listening to music. Some users reported having Strava restart randomly, causing them to lose running data.
Good news: The fitness tracking app recently announced that they’re putting an end to all the toggling and tears.
Strava will release a new update on April 20 that allows both premium and free account users (on both apps) to access music, podcasts, and audiobooks directly from the Strava app. So long as you’re not in offline mode, you’ll be able to pause, resume, skip, and browse songs directly from the record screen on Strava.
While this new functionality may seem superfluous to those who typically rely on a dedicated device, like a GPS watch, that uploads to Strava, recording directly in the Strava app is a handy backup should your watch battery die and will save your phone from background app clutter. Plus, the Strava app is a free way for those without high-tech trackers to still enjoy the benefits of GPS data.
The Verge reported that the integration seemed “long overdue,” and “perhaps too late now that smartwatches and fitness trackers can also stream music.” This was a bigger problem circa 2013, when it was more common to rely on a phone to track workouts.
But while it’s true that other fitness tracking apps beat Strava to Spotify integration, Victoria Song, of The Verge, tested the new widget and found it to have a more seamless approach than those of other apps, like Runkeeper and Apple Music.
And there’s no denying the strong community and social aspect of Strava. The brand’s aggressive commitment to making their app work with as many platforms as possible (including Peloton, COROS, Garmin, and Apple watches) means that you can still connect with friends no matter which platform you’re using.
For better or worse, it doesn’t appear that Strava saves and publishes the music you listen to in the activity profile, though you can always manually make note of it in your workout description or in the “private notes” section. And there’s always Spava—an app where you can track your workout music and share it with others.
Abby Carney is a writer and journalist in New York. A former D1 college runner and current amateur track athlete, she's written about culture and characters in running and outdoor sports for Runner's World, Like the Wind Magazine, The New York Times, and other outlets. She also writes about things that have nothing to do with running, and was previously the editor of a food magazine.
