Spotify have announced that new ‘visual elements’ will be added to their app.
The streaming service, which is currently the largest of its kind in the world, launched its new multimedia format, Spotlight, over the weekend, which introduces visual layers to complement the listening experience for podcasts, audiobooks, news, and other audio content.
According to the app’s website, Spotlight gives fans “a deeper insight to their favourite artists, playlists, books, publishers and more by offering contextual visual elements, such as photos, video and text, that appear as users move through each episode.”
Spotlight has launched with content from Spotify partners such as BuzzFeed News, Lenny Letter, Gimlet Media, Refinery29 and Uninterrupted.
As well as this, Spotlight will also feature content from some of Spotify’s own original series such as RISE, Secret Genius, Spotify Singles and the new Viva Latino podcast.
Ben Smith, Editor-in-Chief of Buzzfeed News has this to say about the new move:
“It feels like a generation ago that MTV News delivered the latest to a whole generation of music fans, but it’s not hard to imagine BuzzFeed News and Spotify doing the same in 2018.
“We’re incredibly excited to bring together our award-winning audio team, world-class journalism, and Spotify’s massive, dynamic platform to get listeners up to speed every morning. I can’t wait to see this project get off the ground next week and grow along with the future of news.”
Spotlight also boasts several content categories including news, pop culture, sports, politics and of course music, as well as a range of viewpoints, voices and more.
Additional series will be continuously added throughout the month of February.
As of right now, Spotlight will only be available in the US, but, according to Spotify, the new feature will be rolled out in other countries “in the near future”.
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