Spotify is expanding its video offering by partnering with Genius, bringing Open Mic and Verified to the streaming platform as it continues to put more focus on music video and fan-focused content.

Spotify is taking another step into its music video offering with a new partnership with Genius that will bring the platform’s popular Open Mic and Verified series to Spotify.

The partnership gives Spotify users access to full episodes of Open Mic for the first time, while Verified is expanding with new episodes and a selection of older episodes from its back catalogue.

For artists, the deal is another sign that video is becoming a bigger part of how music is discovered and experienced on Spotify.

Genius brings Open Mic and Verified to Spotify

According to Spotify’s announcement, Open Mic and Verified have generated more than 3.7 billion views combined since launching in 2016. Open Mic features stripped-back performances from established and emerging artists, while Verified sees artists break down their own lyrics, themes and creative processes.

Grammy-winning rapper Rapsody will be performing “Pick A Side” from her recent album God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops as the first new Open Mic episode available through Spotify. A selection of older Open Mic episodes, including performances from Bebe Rexha, Rod Wave and Teddy Swims will also become available on the platform.

Meanwhile, Verified is expanding its existing presence on Spotify following a phased rollout that began in late 2025. New episodes will continue to arrive alongside older episodes from the series, which has featured artists including Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Lorde, Cardi B and Phoebe Bridgers.

New Open Mic episodes arrive on Thursdays, while Verified releases new episodes on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The shows will have dedicated pages on Spotify, with episodes also able to appear as suggested content around relevant artists and music.

Spotify is making a bigger push into video

The Genius partnership comes as Spotify continues to build out its video offering.

In June, Spotify began beta testing full-length video uploads through Spotify for Artists, allowing participating artists to upload official music videos, live performances, studio sessions and covers directly to the platform. Labels and distributors can still deliver video content to Spotify too.

Spotify has also been adding more ways for fans to discover videos, including video playlists, artist profiles, release pages and its personalised Videos For You feed.

Spotify expands its music video tools with pitching, charts and bigger opportunities for artists

What does this mean for independent artists?

The Genius partnership itself is focused on established video series, so independent artists shouldn’t expect their own Open Mic episode to suddenly appear on Spotify. But the wider shift towards video is worth paying attention to.

Spotify recently reported that its investment into video is already producing interesting results. According to Spotify’s data, listeners who stream a full-length video go on to stream the associated song 64% more often over the following three weeks, on average. They are also 1.4 times more likely to save, share or add the song to a playlist, while streaming the artist’s wider catalogue 57% more during the same period.

That makes video more than another way to rack up views. Spotify is positioning it as another route into an artist’s music.

For independent artists, that means it is increasingly useful to think about how a release can work across different formats. A new single might have an official music video, a live performance, an acoustic version or another piece of visual content that gives fans another reason to spend time with the song.

Spotify’s new video tools make some of these opportunities more accessible, while distribution remains an important route for getting music and video onto the platform.

If you’re releasing music independently, getting the audio onto Spotify and other major streaming services is still the starting point. From there, visual content can help turn a release into a bigger campaign rather than relying on the track alone.

Spotify is becoming more than an audio streaming service

The Genius deal fits neatly into Spotify’s wider expansion into video.

In recent months, Spotify has introduced direct video uploads, expanded video discovery, launched music video pitching tools and introduced its first global music video chart. 

The Genius partnership adds something slightly different: music-focused editorial and storytelling content alongside the music itself.

That’s potentially important for Spotify as it competes for fans’ attention with platforms where video is already central to music discovery. For artists, it also reinforces the value of having more than just an audio file ready for a release.

As Spotify continues investing in video, independent artists and labels have another reason to consider how performances, music videos and other visual content can complement their releases.

For artists distributing independently, RouteNote can help get your music onto Spotify and other major streaming platforms, giving you the foundation to build your release strategy across audio and visual formats.

Distribute your music to Spotify and other major platforms worldwide for free with RouteNote today.