Spotify is finally closing a long-standing feature gap. After years of being an audio-focused streaming platform, the company is officially rolling out support for full music videos in the US and Canada. The update comes after months of limited international beta testing and puts Spotify in more direct competition with platforms like YouTube Music, which has long offered seamless switching between audio and video.
With this update, Spotify users will be able to tap a button to switch between the audio track and its official music video — no separate app, no searching required. The feature will roll out over the coming weeks, and while not confirmed yet, early tests suggest that it may remain exclusive to Premium subscribers.
This expansion became possible after Spotify finalized a major direct-licensing deal with the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), giving the company broader rights to distribute music videos in the US. The move also aligns with Spotify’s larger vision: keeping users engaged longer with more diverse content like short-form clips, podcasts, and now full music videos.
Shuffle Finally Gets Smarter
Alongside the flashy new update, Spotify is also addressing a quieter but highly requested fix: the Shuffle experience.
For years, users have complained that Spotify’s shuffle wasn’t truly random — often repeating the same tracks even inside playlists with hundreds of songs. Now, Spotify is rolling out a smarter algorithm dubbed “Fewer Repeats.”
This upgraded shuffle setting analyzes recent playback and intentionally avoids repeating recently played songs. Unlike before, users don’t need to toggle anything — the new shuffle behavior will become the default experience. However, Premium subscribers will still have the option to revert to the older shuffle logic if they prefer.
A Bigger Strategy at Play
These changes signal Spotify’s growing push to diversify beyond traditional audio streaming. With rising competition from Apple Music, YouTube Music, and TikTok’s music ecosystem, Spotify now appears determined to evolve into a broader multimedia entertainment platform.
For artists, labels, and rights holders, the addition of music videos offers new monetization and exposure channels — and for users, it brings a long-requested update that finally makes Spotify feel more complete.
Both the music video rollout and the shuffle improvement are expected to reach more users gradually in the coming weeks.