Spotify is reportedly testing out a virtual events feature that will connect you to concert livestreams directly within the app.
Based on screenshots shared by security researcher Jane Manchun Wong on Tuesday, the new feature would list virtual events in a specific location and links to tune in.
Spotify is working on Virtual Events
The virtual event shown here is actually 2020 iHeartRadio Music Festival pic.twitter.com/I6BJDqeAnc
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) August 25, 2020
The feature isn’t yet available publicly, and Spotify isn’t commenting on its details.
Spotify already partners with ticketing sites like Ticketmaster, Songkick, Eventbrite, and more, so integrating virtual ticketed concerts would be a simple transition for the streaming service.
Since the coronavirus pandemic has limited how many people can gather in a single location, live music has moved to the virtual world in the form of livestream concerts. In today’s streaming world, most musicians make their money from concerts rather than from selling their music, but with shows either canceled or postponed for the foreseeable future, many of your favorite artists have no way of making money, so this new feature would make sense for Spotify to integrate into its app.
In March, Spotify announced new efforts to aid musicians in need, like giving artists the option to fundraise directly from their Spotify artist profile pages and partnering with organizations such as Help Musicians and the PRS Foundation.
Aside from the possibility of a virtual concert feature, the streaming service has tested other ways of connecting people to what they want to listen to this year. Spotify has been placing a significant priority on podcasts, including the addition of video podcasts in June.
The streaming service is also reportedly thinking about adding music videos to its platform, according to code found in the current version of the streaming service’s app. While Spotify is “still exploring” what to place in the Video tab, music videos would be the obvious choice.
