Spotify is entering the virtual concert world, just as in-person concerts are increasingly becoming a possibility. Company announced today that people can now buy tickets to five different concert streams, which air in May and June. Early performers include The Black Keys, Jack Antonoff of Bleachers and Leon Bridges. The streams are all pre-recorded, but can only be viewed at a certain point in time via the web browser. The shows are not available on demand and cannot be accessed through the Spotify app.
Tickets cost $ 15 and viewers must have a Spotify account to watch the show. (Viewers can create a free Spotify account while buying tickets if they don’t already have one.) FAQ page for more details, but in particular, tickets are linked to individual users’ accounts, so they are non-transferable, and if you miss the show, you can’t get a refund.
Spotify previously participated in the concert ecosystem by allowing artists to list shows through the app and link to those from specific partners, such as Eventbrite. In 2017, the company said so generated more than $ 40 million in ticket sales through the Fans First program, which offers fans additional benefits such as early access to tickets. It also hosted its own personal events related to the playlist’s branding, including Rap Caviar and Viva Latino.
During the pandemic, the company also started offering virtual concerts. Fifteen bucks for these pre-recorded concerts feels a bit steep, mainly because it’s not much different from live sets you can likely find from late-night shows or other free specials on YouTube or Instagram Live, but it seems Spotify is trying to find that a new stream of income and a way to keep fans engaged at a time when most have no connection with the idea of ??live music. It is unclear whether the company intends to continue the virtual concert series. For now, these five shows are all the dedication we’ve seen.
