What you need to know
- Spotify announces the launch of its music video beta for Android, iOS, desktops, and TVs.
- Users should find a "Switch to Video" toggle when listening to a supported track to start watching the music video from the "Now Playing" screen.
- Spotify is bringing this beta to 11 regions, however, the U.S. is notably missing from its initial batch of countries.
Spotify is rolling out music videos for Premium users in beta today (Mar. 13), but they won't be available to everyone simultaneously.
As detailed in a Newsroom post, Spotify is bringing music videos to its platform for users on Android, iOS, desktops, and TVs. Users should find a "Switch to video" toggle when listening to a song that supports the music video feature. Spotify explains that the video will play directly in the "Now Playing" view on your phone or other device.
There is a full-screen option; users can turn their phone sideways to view the music video alternately. Spotify's music videos cannot be played in the background, nor does it seem to have a pop-out option.
The music streaming service states users should switch back to audio if they're moving away from the app.
This beta for Spotify's music videos for support titles means the platform will look to "continue to innovate and iterate based on feedback from both users and artists." Music videos will be featured for select artists like Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat, Ice Spice, Aluna, and Asake. More titles will likely be available as part of Spotify's "limited catalog" starting out.
The feature will arrive in 11 regions: the U.K., Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya. The U.S. is notably out of the equation for now. Spotify states as its beta progresses and more work is done, it will look to expand music videos to more countries.
Spotify highlighted its interest in boosting user engagement within its platform and mentioned several features like Canvas and Clips. However, this new music video beta puts Spotify into more competition with YouTube Music. The latter already offers a way for Premium subscribers to quickly swap between listening to a song and watching its music video.
YouTube Music previously let free users in on its music videos for song titles, but that disappeared back in 2019.
