Swedish music streaming giant Spotify is unveiling a beta launch of full-length music videos for its premium subscribers, a move that puts it in direct competition with YouTube, which has dominated the space for nearly two decades. The rollout will initially cover the UK, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya.
As Spotify aims for a user base of 1 billion by 2030, it faces stiff competition from Apple Music and YouTube, both of which offer free access to music videos. The platform’s initial video catalog will feature a mix of global chart-toppers like Ed Sheeran and local favorites such as Aluna.
This expansion comes on the heels of Spotify’s introduction of “clips” last March, allowing artists to upload short vertical videos directly to the platform. Additionally, the company has been diversifying its content offerings to include podcasts and audiobooks in an effort to attract and retain users.
Despite the competitive landscape, Spotify remains optimistic about its growth trajectory, with forecasts indicating that premium subscribers could surpass 239 million in the current quarter, slightly exceeding earlier estimates.
