Streaming giant Spotify adds music videos to output

English singer Ed Sheeran will feature in one of the first videos Spotify posts – Copyright AFP LOIC VENANCE

Music streaming giant Spotify on Wednesday announced it would be posting music videos on its platform in “select markets,” entering an arena long dominated by YouTube.

“The beta version of music videos on Spotify begins rolling out today…,” the company said in a statement.

It would release limited catalogue of hits from global artists such as Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat, and Ice Spice, as well as local favourites, it added.

Initially, the music videos will only be available to paying subscribers in the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia,the Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya.

In early February, Spotify announced it had passed 600 million monthly users, of which 236 million were paying subscribers.

Google’s streaming behemoth YouTube has long dominated music videos online, with much of the platform’s most-viewed content being music videos.

Songs like Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito,” Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” and K-pop star Psy’s viral hit “Gangnam Style” each gathered several billion views.

Spotify has invested heavily since its launch to fuel growth with expansions into new markets and, most recently, exclusive content such as podcasts.