Spotify brings full music videos to Premium users in US

Spotify is officially rolling out full-length music videos for Premium subscribers in the United States and Canada. This expansion marks a strategic push to bolster the platform’s visual content library and challenge YouTube’s long-standing dominance in the music video sector.

Following a successful beta phase in select international markets throughout the past year, the feature is now accessible across iOS, Android, desktop, and TV applications. The rollout is supported by new licensing agreements with major music labels, ensuring that artists and publishers are compensated for the audiovisual content.

How the Experience Works

When listening to a track that supports video, users will see a “Switch to video” prompt. Upon selection, the video begins playing instantly from the current timestamp of the song. Key features include:

• Seamless Transition: Users can toggle between audio-only and video modes by selecting “Switch to audio” at any time.
• Visual Replacement: The music video replaces the standard short, looping canvas videos unless the user opts out via settings.
• Landscape Mode: For a more immersive experience, videos can be expanded to full-screen when the device is rotated.

Licensing and Broader Context

The move follows a significant deal with the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) in November. This agreement established an opt-in portal for NMPA members to secure direct licenses for audiovisual rights, a step Spotify claims will increase revenue for songwriters and independent publishers. Throughout 2025, the company also finalized similar audiovisual rights deals with Universal, Sony, and Warner Music Group.

While the company did not disclose the total number of videos available at launch, a spokesperson confirmed that music video streams lasting at least 30 seconds will count toward royalty payments, mirroring the company’s audio streaming model.

Beyond the U.S. and Canada, the feature is also expanding to several other regions, including Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Uganda, and Venezuela. By the end of the month, users in North America can expect personalized video recommendations and curated playlists such as 90s Video Hits, Hip-Hop Throwbacks, and Latin Party Hits.