Welcome to the Next Phase of Streaming Music: Original Video – Digital Music News

Spotify is rolling out an entire slate of original videos.  Is that a big part of the future of streaming music?

Today, Spotify announced the addition of 12 new original video series on music and popular culture.  The series — which will reportedly last up to 15 minutes each — will be available in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Sweden on both iOS and Android.  The series will be available to not only paying subscribers, but also those on the free ad-supported tier as well.

But, that’s just the beginning: the video series will also reportedly have a second phase as well, which focuses more on comedy and animation.  “We are developing original content that is rooted in music, pop culture, and animation that is driven by the passion and sense of humor of our audience,” said Tom Calderone, Global Head of Content Partnerships for Spotify.

Calderone went on to say that Spotify is “working with artists, producers and partners who understand that the Spotify audience has a strong connection to artists and wants to go deeper into their worlds, see their performances and expressions, and hear their stories.”

But, Spotify is not the only streaming service offering exclusive video content to its users.  Just recently, Apple Music joined forces with Vice to bring an exclusive docu-series called The Score – a six-part series which looks at local music scenes across the world.

Then there’s Tidal, which has also been working on exclusive video content.  Tidal puts videos front-and-center on its app, with a focus on rap, r&b, and urban-theme content.  The platform just premiered the debut of Cipha Sounds’ No Small Talk comedy series, and the second season of the popular drama Money & Violence.

Spotify is hoping that this offering of original video content will not only set it apart from Apple Music and Tidal, but also the big player in the game: YouTube.  Currently, YouTube has over 1 billion active users, with videos a big part of the experience.  Spotify is also hoping that this further push into video content will get users to spend more time on their streaming service… and less on others.

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