Photo Credit: Genius
Looks like Spotify is serious about catching up in video: After exclusively adding Noah Kahan’s “Orbiter” music video, the platform is set to host new episodes of Genius’ Open Mic and Verified shows.
The DSP and the self-described “world’s biggest collection of song lyrics and musical knowledge” formally announced the corresponding partnership agreement this morning.
Technically, however, the companies have been collaborating for a while; Verified episodes have been arriving on Spotify since late 2025 as part of “a phased rollout,” the involved parties reiterated.
Evidently, Spotify and Genius are ready to take the tie-up to the next level: Now, the programs’ archival episodes are live on dedicated pages, and new episodes of Open Mic will hit the DSP each Thursday at 8 AM PT. Meanwhile, fresh Verified installments will become available at the same time on both Wednesday and Friday.
With a clear-cut goal of bolstering its reach and adding viewers, Genius certainly has an incentive to expand onto Spotify, which reported an average of 777 million MAUs for Q2.
“Open Mic and Verified were created to give artists a space to connect with fans on a different level. Bringing these series to Spotify allows us to expand their reach to an even bigger global audience and create another way for fans to go deeper on the songs they love,” added Genius VP of music and content Rob Markman.
And on the opposite side of the deal, as initially highlighted, the pact represents the latest in a line of video-geared buildouts for the DSP.
That said, a strategic recalibration (or at least a pivot) appears to be afoot under Spotify co-CEOs Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström. As many are well aware, former CEO Daniel Ek’s tenure brought an aggressive focus on podcasts and ultimately video podcasts in particular; the DSP also tested the lessons and television waters in the not-so-distant past.
But since Ek’s exit (and yet another video-podcast expansion) at the top of 2026, superfan-geared video content – referring to music content tailored for diehards who are, after all, using an on-demand streaming app – has taken center stage.
This includes but isn’t limited to exclusives from Olivia Rodrigo and the aforementioned Noah Kahan; a new K-pop video podcast series; direct-upload support for music videos, covers, and live performances alike; and, of course, the above-noted Genius shows.
As for how the offerings fit into Spotify’s bigger-picture objectives, it’s not by chance that the service is aiming to make strides in video while simultaneously engaging ultra-dedicated fans.
With remix and mashup features on the horizon, there’s presumably a good bit of overlap between these viewers and those who are interested in using AI to put a spin on their favorite acts’ songs.
But amid increasingly frequent price bumps, it remains to be seen whether this interest will compel the same individuals to pay for the appropriate tools. Similarly, with videos, concert tickets, podcasts, AI slop, and more now populating the platform, Spotify might be becoming a bit crammed for the average subscriber’s taste.