Spotify has added full music videos to its platform for streaming music. This directly competes with YouTube, which is the market leader in streaming music videos. This new feature, which is now available in beta for Spotify Premium users, is a big step up from the short looping Canvas videos that were previously available on the platform. Users can now easily "switch to video" from the album art and enjoy the full music video experience. Although the initial rollout only includes a small group of artists, such as chart-toppers Beyoncé and Dua Lipa and other artists like Doja Cat and Charli XCX, Spotify plans to slowly add more artists.
This feature is only being rolled out in 11 countries at first. These include the UK, Brazil, Germany, Sweden, and others. People in these areas can watch Spotify's music videos on a number of devices, such as desktop computers, smart TVs, and smartphones that run on iOS or Android. The process is easy: while listening to a song, users can switch to video mode if Spotify has a music video for that song. Conversely, they can switch back to audio mode for background listening with ease.
One of the standout features of Spotify's implementation is its user-friendly interface. Users can effortlessly explore an artist's page to discover available music videos through a dedicated carousel. While the current selection primarily features major artists, Spotify aims to diversify its offerings over time. Additionally, the platform supports standard video streaming functionalities, such as full-screen and landscape modes, enhancing the viewing experience for mobile users. Furthermore, users can share music videos with friends directly from the app, fostering social engagement and discovery.
Spotify's addition of full music videos is a direct challenge to Tidal and Apple Music, which have had similar features for a long time. But what this means for YouTube, which is the biggest site for streaming music videos, is especially interesting. Unlike competing platforms that embed videos from external sources, Spotify hosts music videos directly on its platform. This move could potentially divert views from platforms like YouTube and impact Google's advertising revenue. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether Spotify will provide visibility into music video play counts alongside streaming numbers, which could influence artists and labels' promotional strategies.
For Spotify Premium users, this addition represents yet another value proposition, further justifying the subscription cost. Priced at £10.99 per month, Spotify Premium offers an array of exclusive features, including real-time playlist sharing with Jam and AI-powered DJ capabilities. According to Alex Bousquet, associate director of consumer product marketing at Spotify, integrating music videos aligns with the platform's mission to deepen fan engagement and enhance the overall music listening experience.
For those eager to explore Spotify's new feature, the process is straightforward:
1. Search for an artist or specific song within the Spotify app.
2. If available, music videos will appear in a carousel on the artist's page.
3. When playing a song with an associated music video, toggle to video mode using the designated switch.
4. Enjoy the complete music video experience and switch back to audio mode for background listening as desired.
Spotify's introduction of full music videos represents a significant milestone in the evolution of its platform, posing a formidable challenge to established players in the music video streaming landscape. By seamlessly integrating music videos into its audio streaming service, Spotify aims to enhance user engagement and provide added value to its Premium subscribers.
