NEW YORK – Spotify is drumming a new beat – and its no longer just about music anymore.
In a glitzy press event in Manhattan last Wednesday, Spotify revealed that it will be adding video, podcasts and a line up of specialized content for the first time to broaden its appeal.
Complementing Spotify’s library of 25 billion listening hours worth of music are news clips, entertainment programs and audio shows from the likes of Disney, TED and Comedy Central.
Video companies that make content for YouTube like Maker Studios are also onboard as well as more traditional media players such as Turner Broadcasting, BBC and NBCUniversal.
While Spotify will source content from its partners, the company assured that it will also have original content, dubbed Spotify Originals. Currently, there are three programs under this project (The Drop (video); Spotify Sessions (audio and video); and Landmark (audio and video), with another six on its way.
“We believe it will keep users happy and engaged with Spotify throughout the day,” said Daniel Ek, Founder and CEO at Spotify, explaining that the transition is “inevitable.”
Adding video and other types of content could hook people on Spotify longer, which can help the company present a stronger case to advertisers now ever so hungry for digital presence.
In 2013, Spotify pulled in 68 million euros in advertising revenue – but this represented just 10% of its total income, with the majority accounted by the Spotify Premium paid subscription.
The move is not without caveats. The new Spotify, with a more diverse library of content, could overwhelm new users or confuse current ones who subscribed to the service jus to listen to music.
What could be seen as a response to this, Spotify also launched new features to personalize user experience. A new screen, called Now, was also introduced this Wednesday which will create a playlist that can adapt to your moods and listening behavior.
But why stop with moods? Another exciting feature which aims to ad more context to Spotify content is Spotify Running which will allow the app to detect your tempo and match the perfect music in time to your step.
Spotify Running is now out globally but Southeast Asia will have to wait for the Now experience for a bit longer, which will initially run in the US, UK, Germany and Spotify’s home market Sweden. Interestingly, both services will be available only to iPhone users in the meantime.
