Spotify expands music videos beta

Five days ago, on October 15, 2024, Spotify announced a significant expansion of its music videos beta feature. The streaming giant is rolling out this offering to 85 new markets, substantially increasing the reach of this immersive audio-visual experience. This move comes after the initial launch earlier this year, which introduced the feature to Premium subscribers in 12 markets.

The expansion of music videos beta to new markets is a strategic move by Spotify to strengthen the connection between artists and fans. According to data provided by Spotify, users who discover a song and then watch its music video on the platform are 34% more likely on average to stream the song again in the following week. Moreover, songs discovered with music videos are 24% more likely to be saved or shared within a week by those who watched the video.

As part of this expansion, Spotify is introducing several new features to improve the music videos beta experience:

1. Video Indicators: Users can now easily identify and discover new music videos on both mobile and desktop platforms through video indicators on tracks.
2. Improved Search Functionality: The search feature has been enhanced to allow users to find music videos alongside related tracks by typing the track or artist name.
3. Seamless Audio-Video Switching: A new feature enables users to switch between music tracks and videos with a single tap, available on both mobile and desktop platforms.

Premium subscribers in the 97 beta markets can access the music videos feature through the following steps:

1. Open Spotify on iOS, Android, desktop, or TV device.
2. Tap the "Switch to video" button for music tracks with available videos.
3. The music video will start playing within the Now Playing view, continuing from where the audio left off.
4. To return to audio-only mode, press "Switch to audio."
5. For a full-screen experience on mobile devices, turn the device to landscape mode.

The introduction of music videos beta is part of Spotify's broader strategy to foster stronger connections between artists and fans. The platform has been consistently adding features to enrich the music listening experience, including:

• Countdown Pages
• Canvas
• Clips from artists
• Artist Profiles
• Live Events
• Merch offerings

For Premium subscribers, music videos beta joins other exclusive features like DJ, Jam, and AI Playlist, further enhancing the value of their subscription.

Spotify has indicated plans for further expansion of the music videos feature. The company aims to:

1. Increase the catalog of available music videos
2. Introduce new platforms for watching music videos
3. Extend the feature to more users and markets

The introduction of music videos on Spotify represents a significant shift in how users interact with music on the platform. By combining audio and visual elements, Spotify is creating a more immersive experience that could potentially lead to:

1. Increased artist discovery
2. Higher engagement rates with music content
3. Longer user sessions on the platform
4. New opportunities for artist promotion and marketing

Technical aspects of the rollout

The beta version of music videos on Spotify is being rolled out gradually:

• The rollout began on October 15, 2024
• It will continue over the next few weeks
• Initially, there will be a limited catalog of music videos available

With this expansion, Spotify's music videos beta is now available in:

• 97 total markets (12 initial + 85 new)
• Available to Premium subscribers only
• Accessible on iOS, Android, desktop, and TV devices

Key statistics

• 34% increase in likelihood of streaming a song again after watching its music video
• 24% increase in likelihood of saving or sharing a song discovered with a music video

Key Facts

• Spotify expanded its music videos beta to 85 new markets on October 15, 2024
• The feature is available to Premium subscribers in 97 markets total
• New features include video indicators, improved search, and seamless audio-video switching
• Users who watch music videos are more likely to re-stream, save, or share songs
• The rollout includes a limited catalog of music videos, with plans for expansion
• The feature is part of Spotify's strategy to enhance artist-fan connections
• Music videos beta is available on iOS, Android, desktop, and TV devices