Spotify Music Videos Debut in the U.S. and Canada
Spotify music videos are finally rolling out in the U.S. and Canada, answering a top question fans have been asking for over a year: When will Spotify add music videos like YouTube? In this major update, Premium subscribers can now switch seamlessly between audio and full music video playback across iOS, Android, desktop, and TV apps. The expansion builds on last year’s overseas beta, giving North American users a more polished and integrated viewing experience. With this move, Spotify hopes to reshape how listeners engage with their favorite tracks while competing more directly with YouTube’s massive music ecosystem. And for millions of Premium subscribers, the feature arrives just in time for the holiday streaming rush.
Credit: SpotifyA New “Switch to Video” Button Changes the Listening Flow
One of the most notable updates is the new “Switch to video” button that appears while you’re listening to a song. Instead of starting from the beginning, Spotify music videos now begin at the exact point where the track is currently playing. This is a major improvement from earlier beta tests, which forced users to restart the song anytime they switched modes. Now, listeners can move between audio and video without breaking the vibe, making the feature feel more integrated and natural. And when you’re done watching, tapping “Switch to audio” instantly returns you to music-only mode. It’s a small design touch, but one that significantly enhances the overall listening experience.
Full-Screen Playback Brings a More Immersive Experience
Spotify has also optimized music videos for mobile viewing by enabling full-screen playback when the phone is turned horizontally. This brings the experience closer to what users expect from YouTube and TikTok, but with Spotify’s cleaner, more focused layout. The company says the videos stream in high quality and adapt to device size, ensuring a smooth experience whether you’re watching on a phone, tablet, or living-room TV. This full-screen mode replaces the platform’s short looping visuals, which have long been a signature of Spotify tracks but lacked the depth and storytelling of full videos. Now, artists can deliver the complete visual version of their music directly inside the app.
Music Videos Replace Spotify’s Looping Canvas Feature
For years, Spotify’s Canvas feature—those short looping visuals that accompany songs—served as a lightweight visual layer for listeners. With this update, music videos take center stage and fully replace the Canvas when the user switches to video mode. While Canvas isn’t going away entirely, the shift highlights Spotify’s push toward long-form visual content that enhances the emotional impact of the music. For artists, this offers an opportunity to connect with fans using richer storytelling, not just aesthetic loops. And for listeners, it makes the app feel more dynamic, especially when exploring new releases or nostalgic throwbacks.
New Video Playlists Roll Out Across North America
By the end of the month, Premium subscribers in the U.S. and Canada will see new video-specific playlists curated by genre and era. Spotify plans to launch collections like 90s Video Hits, Hip-Hop Throwbacks, Latin Party Hits, Country Music Video Hits, and Pop Music Video Hits. These curated playlists bring a familiar YouTube-like browsing experience to Spotify, encouraging users to discover or rediscover iconic visuals tied to their favorite songs. It’s a strategic move to boost engagement and increase the time users spend inside the app instead of jumping between platforms.
Personalized Video Recommendations Hit the Home Screen
Along with curated playlists, Spotify is rolling out personalized video recommendations on the home screen. This means the app will highlight music videos based on your listening history, favorite artists, and trending content in your region. For users, it creates a more tailored entertainment experience that blends music discovery with the visual excitement of video. And for Spotify, it’s another step toward making the app feel like a hybrid between a streaming service and a social platform. As music discovery increasingly leans on visual content, Spotify’s personalization engine becomes even more central to its value.
A Competitive Push Against YouTube’s Music Dominance
Launching Spotify music videos in the U.S. is a strategic move aimed squarely at YouTube, which continues to dominate the music discovery space. YouTube already offers a full music-streaming service with a strong visual foundation, making it the default for fans who want both audio and video. Spotify’s update helps level the playing field, giving users fewer reasons to switch apps when they want to watch official music videos. The timing is also key, as YouTube has been growing its podcasting and creator ecosystem—areas where Spotify has aggressively invested in the past few years.
Video Podcasts Paved the Way for This Feature
Spotify’s expansion into video isn’t entirely new. The company has spent the last few years building support for video podcasts, allowing creators to post full visual episodes alongside traditional audio. This development laid the groundwork for Spotify to bring full music videos to the platform. With video podcasts, interactive comments, Q&As, and polls, Spotify has started to feel more like a multimedia hub than a simple music app. Music videos now extend that strategy, giving the company more tools to keep users inside the ecosystem for longer periods.
A Social Network Feel Emerges Inside Spotify
As Spotify adds more visual and interactive features, the platform is beginning to resemble a social network built around audio and video. Engaging with creators, exploring video content, reacting to episodes, and browsing recommendations now sit alongside traditional playlists and albums. Music videos enhance that social feel by tapping into nostalgic emotions and cultural moments, enabling users to relive iconic releases or discover viral hits through visual storytelling. This layered experience helps differentiate Spotify in a crowded streaming market where personalization and community-driven content are becoming major competitive advantages.
What This Means for Spotify Premium Subscribers
For Premium users, the launch of Spotify music videos makes the subscription feel more valuable, especially at a time when streaming costs are rising across the industry. The ability to switch effortlessly between audio and full video adds flexibility to the listening experience, while new playlists and personalized recommendations bring a fresh layer of discovery. Whether users treat the feature as a replacement for YouTube or a new way to enjoy favorite tracks, it strengthens Spotify’s identity as a multimedia entertainment platform. And as the rollout expands, the feature could reshape how millions engage with music across devices.
The Start of a New Visual Era for Spotify
Spotify’s decision to bring music videos to North America marks the beginning of a broader shift in how the platform approaches content. With stronger competition from YouTube and an increasing focus on visual-driven discovery, Spotify is building toward a future where video and audio blend seamlessly. The update not only modernizes the user experience but also opens the door for new creative possibilities for artists. As more subscribers gain access, Spotify music videos are poised to become a defining part of the listening experience going into 2026—and potentially a major driver of engagement for years to come.
