Spotify to ramp up its original content with new weekly series

Spotify appears to be following Netflix in the direction of original content with a weekly series of programming consisting of two programs.

The first, Singles, will feature big name acts recording a pair of songs exclusively for the service. One of these tracks will be one of the artist’s own songs, but the recording itself will be Spotify exclusive. The other track will be a cover. 

Spotify is promising that each Singles release will be accompanied by exclusive artwork, and some will feature video content. 

Live exclusives

The second program, Live, is a live series of recordings with fans in attendance. Spotify has already been producing similar content under its fan-free ‘Sessions’ banner which Live will be replacing.

It’s been a big year for Spotify, which has recently announced the top five acts streamed through the service in the UK which featured Drake, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Coldplay and Twenty One Pilots. 

However with Spotify’s top lists still being dominated by non-exclusive artists such as these, it appears the service is looking to bolster its exclusive offering after the aggressive moves by Tidal and Apple Music to secure exclusives of their own. 

In the past Spotify has spoken out against the practice of streaming exclusives, so it’s interesting to see the company go down this route with exclusive versions of songs, rather than exclusive studio albums. 

  • Need some cans to listen to your streamed music? Check out our guide to the best headphones.
Jon Porter

Jon Porter is the ex-Home Technology Writer for TechRadar. He has also previously written for Practical Photoshop, Trusted Reviews, Inside Higher Ed, Al Bawaba, Gizmodo UK, Genetic Literacy Project, Via Satellite, Real Homes and Plant Services Magazine, and you can now find him writing for The Verge.