Spotify opens video uploads to thousands more artists from 21 October
Spotify continues to invest in video. From 21 October, it is expanding video uploads through Spotify for Artists to thousands more artists and bringing those videos to Japan too. Here is what it has announced and what it means for you.
Who can get access
According to Spotify, artists based in an eligible market who have had more than 3,000 monthly active listeners in the past 28 days may receive access in this expansion. It is not automatic: eligibility depends on several factors, and Spotify expects to keep expanding access to more artists during 2027.
Access starts rolling out on 21 October. If you get it, Spotify for Artists will notify you by email.
Unsure how many monthly active listeners you have? You can check in Spotify for Artists, in the Audience section, under the Segments tab.
In Japan too
From the same day, videos uploaded through Spotify for Artists will reach listeners in Japan, both paying subscribers and those using the free, ad-supported version, and eligible artists based in Japan will also be able to upload their videos.
Why it is worthwhile
According to Spotify, when a song has a video, listeners do more than watch it once: they listen more and spend more time with the artist's music. On average, after watching a video on Spotify:
- they listen to that song 64% more over the following three weeks;
- they listen to the rest of the artist's catalogue 57% more over the same period;
- among their most loyal fans, that figure rises to 62%, with almost two extra hours of listening on average.
Which videos can be uploaded
According to Spotify for Artists help, live performances, studio sessions, covers and official music videos are accepted, always with the song as the focus. Official music videos and live performances can also be pitched to playlist editors. The video must be in landscape format (16:9), last between 30 seconds and 20 minutes, have a resolution of at least 1920 × 1080 pixels and be smaller than 50 GB. Videos longer than 30 seconds can earn royalties just like audio.
What stays the same
Spotify makes it clear that delivery through labels and distributors remains the main route for getting music and videos onto the platform. Uploading through Spotify for Artists is an additional option.
How we do it
At MusicAdders, we distribute your songs and your videos too. And if you do not have a video yet, we record music videos, live sessions and reels at our Madrid studio. Tell us about your project and we will see how to make the most of it.
Source: Spotify for Artists and its help page on uploading videos.