YouTube has reigned supreme on the internet, mainly due to the platform’s wide range of content. That said, Spotify’s newest feature might be the thing to finally bring the online juggernaut some challenge. Spotify has always had some sort of video support on its platform, but a recent announcement has revealed that the streaming service will be going even further. Now, Spotify is set to support music videos.
“So many times in my own experience and for countless others, music videos play a key role in hooking you: taking you from being a listener to leaning in and becoming a fan,” said Vice President and Head of Music Product at Spotify Charlie Hellman. “They’re an important part of so many artists’ tool kits, and it’s a natural fit for them to live in the same place that more than half a billion people choose to listen to music.”
While the new feature is currently in beta in select markets on Spotify Premium, it will soon be able to support thousands of songs, Spotify’s global head of consumer experience Sten Garmark in a TechCrunch interview. So, how could this new feature possibly threaten YouTube?
For years YouTube has been a mainstay in music video content, being one of the first platforms on the Internet to successfully share video content to a wide audience, it’s no surprise that the music industry would use it to promote music videos. Music has consistently been one of YouTube’s biggest topics, with music videos generating millions of views. Some of the platform’s most viewed videos have been music videos like Luis Fonsi’s Despacito, which sits at the top spot with over 8.3 billion views.
Spotify has established itself as a great alternative way for users to get their music fix, thanks to their large music library and the ability to passively listen on a computer, laptop, or mobile device. However, recent years have seen an effort to expand their content in a campaign to retain users. Now, Spotify users can listen to podcasts and audiobooks. Globally, Spotify has over 602 million users as of 2024. According to BankMyCell, its premium subscribers increased by more than 12.3 % compared to the previous year.
It’s too early to know whether Spotify’s video feature will help the platform. That said, if it manages to succeed, Spotify could use this feature for other video content outside of music.
Regardless, considering how it’s tied to Spotify Premium, the feature might not be much of a draw to users, considering platforms like YouTube allow video access for free.
