Disney and YouTube executives joining Spotify for video boost
Spotify have some interesting new reported additions to their board of directors that suggest video on Spotify is about to get a lot bigger.
Spotify are reportedly bringing in 4 new members to join their board of directors, according to the Financial Times. The picks suggest a more focussed approach to video whilst Apple Music are currently announcing what seems like a new show or documentary what feels like every week.
Among the former executives reportedly joining Spotify’s board of directors are Tom Staggs, ex-COO at Walt Disney, and Shishir Mehrotra, former YouTube head of product. The board already features Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos, suggesting that Spotify are gearing up to take on Apple’s video push.
It’s no surprise that Spotify want to boost video as they’ve been working with video for roughly a year now. It started with a section on their mobile app featuring various shows from Adult Swim, Ted Talks and various other content creators. Since then Spotify have expanded into their own video content with a variety of shows from live sessions to animated explorations of famous artists’ history.
As Apple Music continue to brag about how great their videos are going to be, with around 10 different shows announced so far for the music streaming service, there is a clear competition between the two already-competing services. To make matters more tense Apple have bought the rights to an exclusive series of Carpool Karaoke whilst Spotify are preparing their own similar but, in my opinion, more unique and exciting version of music on the road.