When will music fans stop having to choose between watching their favorite videos and using their preferred streaming app? Spotify thinks that day has arrived with their new music video feature that lets users watch official music videos right inside the app.
Spotify’s new in-app music video feature eliminates the need to switch between streaming and video platforms.
The streaming giant is rolling out this video platform to Premium users in select markets, starting outside the US before expanding to American and Canadian users in 2025. The feature works on TV, desktop, iOS and Android devices, giving users the power to switch between audio and video playback with a simple tap.
Here’s how it works: when a song has an available music video, a “switch to video” button appears. Users can start watching exactly where they left off listening. Want to go full-screen? Just rotate your device or tap the playback bar. Need to save data? Switch back to audio mode anytime. The app even shows a video indicator next to tracks so users know when videos are available.
Spotify’s initial catalog includes thousands of music videos, featuring official artist videos, live performances, and cover versions. The company promises rapid expansion, though growth depends on striking deals with record labels, publishers, and distributors. Artists cannot upload videos directly – everything must flow through their label or distributor partners.
The rollout faced some bumps, especially around rights issues that initially limited US availability. Spotify solved this by securing a key licensing agreement with the National Music Publishers’ Association, opening doors to major markets. However, the complexity of music rights means different regions get different content at different times.
For artists, the integration offers serious benefits. Spotify reports that fans who watch a music video are 34% more likely to stream that artist again the following week. That’s music to any artist’s ears, even if they must rely on their label to get videos onto the platform. Artists can monitor their video performance through Spotify for Artists, where delivered music videos appear under the Video & Visuals section. Video content is part of Spotify’s broader strategy to retain Premium users and compete with other streaming platforms.
This move puts Spotify in direct competition with YouTube and TikTok for music video attention. Instead of jumping between apps, users can now discover, listen, and watch all in one place. For investors considering Spotify stock, diversification across different investment types remains essential when building a resilient portfolio. The question isn’t whether this will change music streaming – it’s how quickly other platforms will follow.
