PARTNERSHIPS | COMMUNITY | PODCAST | FRIENDS
Spotify Debuts Music Videos In The US
Image courtesy of MTV // Illustration by Kate Walker
Spotify is officially bringing music videos to the platform in the US after testing the feature overseas.
The Big Picture: Music videos have lost the cultural cachet they once had just 15 years ago, thanks to the decline of MTV, the diminished role of Vevo, and the disappearance of Vimeo Staff Picks. In their place, vibey visuals primed for the vertical scroll have become the go-to content on social media. But with Spotify — the most popular music streamer in the world — putting them on the platform, they could be primed for a cultural comeback.
Behind The Videos: Spotify Wrapped will be getting a new metric this year — your most-watched music videos.
Artists can now add a music video to any track in their catalog.
When listeners tap a song, they’ll be able to toggle between audio and video (if the artist added one).
During its international test run, videos were limited to Premium subscribers, and it’s still unclear whether ad-supported listeners in the US will get access.
The Future: Spotify’s push into music videos comes as nearly every streamer bulks up on video podcasts, which have become low-lift, high-engagement content to sell ads against. Having perfected that tech, it was inevitable that Spotify would expand to music videos… especially since YouTube Music already offers them.
But YouTube Music never managed to revive the cultural status of music videos. Spotify thinks its platform — built around playlists, personalization, and habit — can actually turn passive listeners into active watchers.
Next Hit: The “middle class” of music video directors has nearly disappeared in recent years due to the shift toward cheaper, vibe-driven visuals. If Spotify’s integration performs well, it could push labels to invest in traditional music videos again, giving emerging artists and filmmakers a long-overdue boost.
Together with DeleteMe
They’re Selling Your Data Online. Now What?
Data brokers aren’t technically breaking the law by selling your email, phone number, or home address to the highest bidder.
But in the wrong hands, your sensitive data can fuel all kinds of crime — identity theft, phishing attacks, fraud... Not good.
DeleteMe monitors hundreds of data brokers around the clock, removing your private info before it falls into the wrong hands.
PARTNERSHIPS | COMMUNITY | PODCAST | FRIENDS
Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.