Spotify Expands Music Video Feature to 85 Countries for Premium Users: Aiming to Compete with YouTube

We first learned of Spotify testing a “Music Video” feature in its app last March, along the lines of what YouTube currently offers. This update has been in a dormant…

By Ishika Setia

October 19, 2024

2 min read

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We first learned of Spotify testing a “Music Video” feature in its app last March, along the lines of what YouTube currently offers. This update has been in a dormant state for some time but is finally rolling out to 85 more countries only via Spotify Premium users. Just 11 regions initially had the music video offering, including the U.K., Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya, with Egypt added later. Thanks to the current amplification, even more users can get the “Switch to video” option on Spotify.

The All New Spotify Music Video

A new “Switch to video” button will now pop up during song playback as seen in the marketing materials. Selecting this option allows users to view the corresponding music video in landscape mode, enhancing the listening experience. For the moment, however, it is unclear when this feature will be available on devices in India as smartphones here still do not offer support for color filters. Also of note is the fact that this new music video will only be available to Spotify Premium users.

Whilst Spotify undoubtedly enjoys millions of paying subscribers around the world, it is all-in on becoming a significant player in the music videos space where YouTube has long reigned supreme with its massive catalog. But the launch of a similar feature for Spotify is unlikely to have a profound impact on YouTube’s market dominance, with its closest rival being positioned as a simple playback destination rather than an authentic video service.

The introduction of the “Switch to video” feature represents a noteworthy advancement for Spotify users, creating new opportunities to engage with music. Feedback on this new option is encouraged, particularly regarding whether users have been able to access the feature thus far. The anticipation surrounding this rollout continues to grow as more users await access to the music video functionality.