Spotify Adds ‘Spotlight’ Multimedia Format

Spotify is rolling out a new multimedia format, Spotlight, which adds visual layers to complement the listening experience for select me podcasts, audiobooks, news, and other audio content. Spotlight is designed to give users "deeper insight" into their favorite artists, playlists, books and publishers offering contextual visual elements including photos, video and text.Spotlight will launch with content from the current Spotify media partners including BuzzFeed News, Cheddar, Crooked Media, Lenny Letter, Gimlet Media, Genius, The Minefield Girl, Refinery29 and Uninterrupted. Additionally, Spotlight will feature content from some of Spotify’s own original series including RISE, songwriter podcast Secret Genius, Spotify Singles and the new Viva Latino podcast.“We are excited to launch Spotlight, a new format that merges great storytelling, news, information and opinion with visual elements all delivered in playlist form across a number of content categories,” said Courtney William Holt, Head of Studios and Video. “Playlists play an important role in the daily lives of our users bringing them closer to the creators they love.”

On launch, the programming includes news, pop culture, sports, politics and music with additional series will be launching throughout the month of February. It is currently available in the U.S., according to Spotify, and will roll out to additional markets in the near future.Hypebot: As of Thursday afternoon, we could not review Spotlight on the Spotify iOS app and desktop, after installing a software update. Let us know what playlists and podcasts you find it in.