Spotify enters the music video scene, challenging YouTube's dominance
Spotify, the Swedish music streaming giant, is testing the waters of full-length music videos, launching a limited beta for its premium subscribers. This move pits Spotify against YouTube, the long-reigning champion of online music videos, signaling a potential major shift in the digital music landscape.
Starting Wednesday, premium Spotify users in select countries—including the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya—will have access to a beta version featuring a range of music videos. This initiative is part of Spotify's broader strategy to expand its user base and diversify its content offerings.
Facing stiff competition from both Apple Music and YouTube, which has been offering free access to music videos for years, Spotify is ambitiously aiming to reach 1 billion users by 2030. The rollout will feature a curated selection of music videos from both international stars, such as Ed Sheeran, and local talents.
This expansion into music videos builds on Spotify's introduction of "clips" last year—short, under-30-second vertical videos uploaded by artists directly to the platform. Additionally, Spotify has broadened its content spectrum to include podcasts and audiobooks, continually seeking new ways to attract and retain users.
With a forecast for premium subscriber numbers to exceed expectations in the current quarter, Spotify is steadily advancing towards its ambitious user growth targets, challenging existing norms in the streaming industry.
