Spotify tattoos: What to know about the popular trend on TikTok

What is TikTok?

Tik Tok is a short-form video app that allows users to create and share fun content with added filters, music, animation and more.

Imagine this: You scan the tattoo on your arm, and your favorite song plays. It may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but the concept has actually become a reality.

It’s known as a "Spotify tattoo," and while the codes launched in 2017, the procedure has become a viral trend on social media over the last few years.

"We love seeing listeners wear the audio they love on their sleeves and helping them rep their fandom," a Spotify spokesperson told FOX Television Stations. "Since 2017, we've seen Spotify Codes used on everything from bumper stickers to sneakers to, yes, tattoos."

But what are Spotify tattoos, and why are they becoming increasingly popular on TikTok? Let’s find out.

Spotify logo displayed on a phone screen and headphones are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on July 12, 2022. (Credit: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

What are Spotify tattoos?

According to Spotify, a Spotify Code is a QR-like "scannable" tag that can be used to quickly share or access a piece of content within Spotify.

This means every piece of content has a tag – a series of unique sound bars – meant for sharing the content with someone when scanned.

A tattoo artist dips his needle in ink as he applies a tattoo on a customer at Key West Ink August 23, 2007 in Key West, Florida. (Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Spotify Codes can be created for artist profiles, brand profiles, playlists, albums, and songs. If there is a Spotify URL, you can generate a Spotify Code. To find a Spotify URL, right-click on a piece of content in Spotify, select "share" and then select the link or URL.

At spotifycodes.com, you can input that URL and create the scannable tag.

So, if you get the code tattooed on your arm or another body part, it should immediately play the associated content once it is scanned.

Why are Spotify tattoos popular on TikTok?

It’s not immediately clear when the tattoo trend began, but on TikTok, videos tagged "#spotifytattoo" have garnered millions of views.

But, as some of the videos on social media reveal, there is no guarantee that the tattoos will work once a person is inked.

If the lines of the code are not precisely tattooed on the person, this could prevent the tattoo from scanning properly.

Bottom line: Try at your own risk.