Spotify’s Next Big Move Could Be Festival Live-streaming: Here’s What We Know

Spotify is in talks with concert promoters to license live video from music festivals, Bloomberg reported on June 8, marking what would be the platform’s first foray into live video streaming.

According to Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw, citing people familiar with the discussions, Spotify has approached concert promoters about licensing the rights to stream live video from music festivals as the platform pushes to become a broader hub for the live music economy. Spotify declined to comment on the report.

The move is part of a wider video strategy. The company rolled out music video access to Premium users in the US and Canada in December 2025, alongside new formats including live performances and cover versions. The company has already started adding footage from live events, including a Dua Lipa show in Mexico City. 

Falling Ad Revenue Is Pushing Spotify Toward Live Video

There’s a clear financial driver behind the push. Spotify’s ad-supported revenue fell 5% year on year to €385 million in Q1 2026. This is the second consecutive quarterly decline. Video advertising commands higher rates than audio, and keeping users watching rather than just listening creates more ad inventory to sell. 

Spotify’s live music ambitions were already taking shape at its May 2026 Investor Day, where the company officially announced Reserved. This is their most concrete step into the live events space yet. The feature identifies each artist’s most dedicated listeners and sets aside two concert tickets per qualifying super-fan, available to purchase for roughly 24 hours before the general public sale begins, exclusively for Premium subscribers. Spotify struck a multi-year deal with Live Nation to back the initiative, paying tens of millions for the ticketing rights. The festival livestreaming talks, reported just two weeks later, suggest the platform’s live music push extends well beyond ticketing. 

Spotify Would Enter a Livestream Space Dominated by YouTube and Amazon

If the livestreaming plans are confirmed, Spotify would enter a space with established players. YouTube has been offering Coachella live streams for more than a decade, while Amazon Music served as the exclusive livestream destination for Stagecoach this year. Spotify’s potential edge lies in its data: it already knows which artists each of its 761 million monthly active users listens to most, 293 million of whom are Premium subscribers.

If Spotify eventually connects live broadcasts with artist profiles, playlists, follow buttons, and ticketing tools, festival appearances could become even more valuable as discovery moments.