Spotify Expands Into Video, News, Fitness, Playlist Curation
The website for Spotify’s new services leads off with a poem: “We’ve put together the music and shows to make your day. From the first coffee to the last dance, there’s always something great to play.” You might have noticed that it promises not just music but “shows.” Yes, as rumored, Spotify is getting into video. As announced at a launch event in NYC today with the stars of Broad City — and capped off by a performance from D’Angelo — Spotify Shows will include select TV shows, news broadcasts, and podcasts from clients including BBC, ESPN, Vice News, Adult Swim, and TED. Meanwhile, the new Spotify Now service is more interactive and personalized than the current version of Spotify if this marketing copy is to be believed: “Now gets you. Now remembers what you like, and suggests new entertainment to keep you happy.” The idea there is personal curation throughout your day, dictated by Tinder-like swipes to determine your mood. It seems equivalent to Songza or a streamlined version of what Beats Music did with its goofy The Sentence function. Lastly, Spotify Running is “an exhilarating new way of running to music” in which “every song matches your tempo, every beat drives you on.” I wonder if they’ll feature LCD Soundsystem’s “45:33″? All these services are available starting today in the US, the UK, Germany, and Sweden.
Every digital service is trying to become the all-encompassing platform for consuming digital content, and these new rollouts seem like Spotify’s bid to become the center of the digital universe. Check out some videos about the new services below.