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Spotify Is Experimenting With Music Videos

Watch videos chosen by the artist while their music plays in the Spotify mobile app.

 & Matthew Humphries Former Senior Editor

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We all know Spotify as a streaming music service, but it could also be known as the music video streaming service if a new experiment proves worthwhile.

As TechCrunch reports, Spotify has confirmed it's testing a new feature called Discover, which offers a vertical list of music videos you can scroll through. Every time a new video slides into view it automatically starts playing and there's options to like or skip it.

Twitter user Chris Messina recorded the Discover feature in action, which he found in a TestFlight (beta) build of the Spotify app on iOS. You can watch it below:

The Spotify navigation bar has also been updated as part of this experiment, with a Discover icon appearing on the fourth tab of the bar in between the Home and Search icons.

Although details are sparse, it's speculated that the videos are created by the artists using Spotify's Canvas format. So rather than the official music videos that are released for some songs, an artist could choose to create something unique for Spotify users to view as they listen.

As this is just an experiment seemingly found by accident, it's too early to say if the music videos will become a core feature, or at least option, in the Spotify app. Even if they do, music listening is usually a passive form of entertainment, listened to with your smartphone safely stored away in a pocket rather than held with the screen viewed.

About Our Expert

Matthew Humphries

Matthew Humphries

Former Senior Editor

My Experience

I started working at PCMag in November 2016, covering all areas of technology and video game news. Before that I spent nearly 15 years working at Geek.com as a writer and editor. I also spent the first six years after leaving university as a professional game designer working with Disney, Games Workshop, 20th Century Fox, and Vivendi.

I hold two degrees: a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Games Development. My first book, Make Your Own Pixel Art, is available from all good book shops.

My Areas of Expertise

  • PC components and system building
  • Raspberry Pi
  • Software development
  • Storage technology
  • Video games and gaming hardware

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