Spotify expands music video offering to 85 more territories

 

Spotify is expanding its video offerings, announcing on October 15 that music video streaming will be available in 85 additional markets. This feature, accessible only to Premium subscribers, includes a limited selection of music videos.

The company initially launched music videos in beta in March, covering 11 countries, and later added Egypt. Spotify hasn’t specified which new regions are included in this expansion.

According to Spotify’s data, integrating music videos enhances user engagement. Users who watch a video after discovering a song are 34% more likely to stream it again the following week compared to those who only listen to the audio. Songs discovered through videos have a 24% higher chance of being streamed or shared in the subsequent week.

The platform is introducing new features to accompany the video expansion. These include tags indicating video availability for songs, inclusion of videos in search results, and the ability to switch between audio and video versions of a track without interruption. Users can also view videos in full screen by rotating their devices.

Spotify intends to continue expanding this feature to more markets and develop additional video-related capabilities.

According to Music Business Worldwide, the move aligns with Spotify’s strategy to enhance subscriber value as it raises prices globally. CEO Daniel Ek has emphasised the importance of the “value-to-price ratio” in determining price increases.

After maintaining stable prices for a decade, Spotify began implementing price hikes last year across various markets, including the US, UK, and Europe. Ek noted that as user growth slows, price increases become a crucial tool.

To justify these increases, Spotify has ventured into various media formats, including podcasts and audiobooks. However, some of these efforts have faced industry opposition. The decision to include audiobooks in Premium subscriptions has led to a lawsuit from The Mechanical Licensing Collective over royalty concerns.

Additionally, the National Music Publishers’ Association has raised issues regarding Spotify’s licensing practices for lyrics, videos, and podcasts.