Spotify has announced plans to bring music videos to its platform in the United States following a beta launch overseas last year.
A spokesperson for Spotify confirmed to Variety that the company plans to integrate music videos in the coming weeks. On platform, users will be able to switch between audio and video with the tap of a button. It’s unclear if the feature will be available to all subscriber tiers or just Premium users, as the overseas launch was rolled out to the latter.
News of the product feature expansion comes just a day after Spotify signed an audiovisual direct-licensing pact with the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), launching an opt-in portal for NMPA members to enter into licensing agreements for expanded AV rights in the States. Spotify previously struck licensing agreements referencing audiovisual rights with Universal, Warner and Sony.
In March 2024, the streaming service began rolling out music videos in beta across 12 markets including the U.K., Germany and Italy, along with a limited catalog of visuals from Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat and Ice Spice. The company expanded its rollout to 85 additional markets in Oct. 2024, giving access to videos from Charli xcx, Fontaines D.C., Lisa and more.
The beta launch of music videos was far from Spotify’s first foray into the video market. Dating back to 2015, the streamer was striking deals with Comedy Central and ESPN to bring short-form content and podcasts to the service. Podcast video has grown significantly over the past few years — in July 2020, Spotify launched its first set of “vodcasts,” and last November unveiled uninterrupted video podcasts as the number of creators publishing videos monthly on Spotify grew 50 percent year over year. But the latest move does mark a competitive expansion into the streaming market, adopting a similar toggle between audio and video that currently exists on YouTube Music.
