Spotify Technology SA is testing the inclusion of complete music videos within its application, potentially enhancing its ability to rival Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube and ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok in the streaming service market.
Bloomberg reports that Spotify has started discussing the potential offering to bring full-length music videos to its platform with potential partners.
According to the Bloomberg report, Spotify’s ongoing attempts to make video a significant part of its application align with the prospective addition of full-length music videos to its platform.
Video content has consistently been shown to be more valuable than audio in the era of streaming media. Musicians may already upload brief looping GIFs to Spotify called “canvases,” which are displayed on the screen while music is playing. This year, the platform unveiled “clips,” short videos under 30 seconds, to provide artists a storytelling tool to interact with their fans and talk about their music, much like TikTok.
Before listening to a complete track, users can preview and swipe through highlighted videos on Spotify’s new music home screen, reminiscent of TikTok. Additionally, the company recently disclosed that its platform now supports over 100,000 podcasts with video, highlighting Spotify’s commitment to expanding its video offerings.
Spotify is trying to strengthen its position in response to the growing competition from YouTube and TikTok, particularly in pursuing the Gen Z audience. The platform has widened its reach by incorporating podcasts into YouTube Music, which provides a streaming music service in addition to full-length music videos and shorter Shorts.
ByteDance, on the other hand, is reportedly looking into ways to expand Resso into regions where Spotify is already present. TikTok has developed into a powerful music discovery tool that helps various musical artists.
Spotify has previously developed original series and worked with media giants like Paramount Global and Vice Media to enter the world of video content. Due to this, TV content, such as snippets from the Comedy Central program “Broad City,” was included in the Spotify app. Some of these partnerships, meanwhile, eventually came to an end. Despite this, Spotify is committed to finding innovative ways to reach more people and remain a leader in the fast-changing streaming service industry.
