Spotify is currently in discussions with concert organizers to obtain rights to live-stream music shows, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the negotiations. Should an agreement be reached, this format would mark a new direction for the streaming service, which has previously experimented with live audio broadcasts. Presently, Spotify has incorporated recordings of select concerts, such as Dua Lipa’s performance in Mexico.
Simultaneously, the company aims to enhance the experience for live music enthusiasts by providing select users with early access to tickets and seat reservations for upcoming events. According to sources, Spotify is investing tens of millions of dollars in rights that grant subscribers priority access to concert tickets. Notably, an agreement has been reached with Live Nation, a global leader in concert organization and ticket sales, enabling Spotify to outpace competitors such as Apple and Amazon.
Spotify views the integration of live performances as strategically vital for the service’s development, as it would deepen engagement between artists and their audience while offering additional benefits to premium subscribers. This initiative is part of the company’s broader strategy to expand its video content, involving investments in video podcasts, music clips, and other formats. Spotify anticipates that video content will increase user engagement time on the platform and boost advertising revenue, particularly amid a downturn in its advertising business in the first quarter of 2025.
Spotify’s interest in concert broadcasting stems in part from YouTube’s success in this area, which boasts over a decade of live festival streams, such as Coachella, that have attracted millions of viewers. Currently, Spotify boasts over 700 million users. Exploring new content formats is seen as a key method to retain current subscribers and attract new ones.