What you need to know
- Spotify is experimenting with virtual concerts on its platform.
- Five concerts will take place between May and June, featuring The Black Keys, and Rag'n'Bone man, and more.
- Tickets will be available for $15 from Spotify.
With concerts being a more or less theoretical affair over the past year, virtual concerts have risen in popularity as a viable alternative. Spotify had offered listings to virtual concerts in its app since last year, allowing artists to link to upcoming live streams on their Spotify page. Perhaps encouraged by the data from that previous effort, the company now wants to try hosting virtual concerts on Spotify itself.
Spotify announced the news today, saying:
We know that fans care deeply about supporting artists and connecting with their music through live performances. And while some parts of the world are beginning to open up, we recognize not everyone is comfortable with or able to attend in-person events just yet. These shows will allow fans to experience and support their favorite artists while immersing themselves in a performance-style experience they crave.
Spotify is will debut these new events with five concerts between May and June on Spotify.live, featuring artists ranging from The Black Keys, Rag'n'Bone Man, the Bleachers' Jack Antonoff, Leon Bridges, and girl in red. You'll also need to hand over $15 per ticket (or your local equivalent), and you'll naturally need a Spotify account.
Spotify has been experimenting with new formats and products in addition to its position as a premier streaming service. It recently launched its new Car Thing in the U.S. and offers a formidable podcast experience to rival competitors ranging from Apple to Amazon. These new live concerts are yet another experiment, and depending on how they do, we may see more of them in the future.
Spotify
Despite stiff competition, Spotify remains the number one streaming service not just for its extensive catalog and music discovery but for the addition of relevant features like this.
