Spotify has added a huge chunk of new content to its service after striking a deal with electronic music site Beatport to gain access to a host of previously exclusive material.
The agreement will see Beatport’s music releases, curated playlists and video footage from dozens of festivals and events run by parent company SFX Entertainment available via Spotify.
It’s a move that will likely suit both sides. For Beatport, a long-time niche outfit, there’s the prospect of reaching a far wider audience. The site is currently building out its content network with a variety of distribution partners, though Spotify will be the only partner to gain exclusive access to new music exclusives. Spotify, meanwhile, may start to look a whole lot more appealing to the more hardened, underground dance music fan, despite its mainstream reputation – one of the inevitabilities of success.
Founded in 2004, Beatport began as an music store, later evolving into a huge online hub for DJs, producers and fans of dance music. The site was acquired by SFX in 2013 and the company recently launched a new music streaming service, equipped with a vast catalogue of high-definition dance tracks, many exclusive only to Beatport.
“We are thrilled to be operating a Beatport presence within Spotify and providing our unique content around all things EMC to the Spotify audience,” said Greg Consiglio, president and CEO of Beatport. “They will be the first to access the latest need-to-know exclusive electronic music from Beatport and will also be able to watch to a mix of original festival and event video content.”
Spotify remains the top dog in music streaming with 20m paid subscribers and 75m active users.