- Spotify is launching a beta test of music videos for premium subscribers in 11 countries, including global hits and local favourites.
- Users can switch between video and audio modes, with ongoing improvements based on feedback.
- Spotify plans to expand the supported music list and geographic availability over time.
OUR TAKE
Spotify’s move aims to better compete with rivals like Apple Music and YouTube Music. Currently, both Apple Music and YouTube Music offer full-length music video playback. On Apple Music, users can access the latest and most popular MVs, along with artist interviews and Apple Music Live recordings. Meanwhile, YouTube Music extracts all music videos from YouTube and allows users to switch between audio and video modes.
— Chloe CHEN
Spotify announced on March 14 that it will launch a beta test of music videos (MV) for Premium subscribers in the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya, featuring popular songs by global artists like Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat, and Ice Spice, as well as local favourites like Aluna and Asake.
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This feature is only open to Premium users
Premium users in the aforementioned regions can download the iOS, Android, Windows, or TV app, then select “Switch to Video” in the “Now Playing” view to start playing the MV from the beginning. If you get tired of watching, you can always click “Switch to Audio” to switch back to the music view. If you’re watching on your phone, you can also switch it to landscape mode (full-screen playback).
Spotify also promises to “continue to innovate and iterate” the MV feature based on user and artist feedback, and the supported music list will gradually expand, as will the geographic range available.
Spotify may introduce a higher-tier subscription service called ‘Supremium’
There have been recent reports suggesting that Spotify may introduce a higher-tier subscription service called ‘Supremium’ later this year, aiming to appease investors who believe the subscription prices should be increased. According to the source, Supremium is expected to debut outside the US first and is poised to offer higher-quality Hi-Fi audio. It is reported that it will deliver CD-like audio quality through lossless compression. Although Spotify previously announced plans to launch Hi-Fi audio functionality in 2021, it has yet to be implemented for unknown reasons.
