Spotify takes on YouTube: Music streaming app now lets you watch full music videos - but there's a catch

It's currently the go-to platform for music videos. 

But YouTube now faces stiff competition from Spotify, which has just launched music video for Spotify users in 11 countries. 

Spotify hopes the new feature will allow fans to 'dive deeper into an artist's music'. 

'So many times in my own experience and for countless others, music videos play a key role in hooking you: taking you from being a listener to leaning in and becoming a fan,' said Charlie Hellman, Vice President and Head of Music Product at Spotify. 

'They're an important part of so many artists' tool kits, and it's a natural fit for them to live in the same place that more than half a billion people choose to listen to music.' 

Spotify's music video feature was announced today, and is described as a 'powerful way for fans to discover and connect with music' 

Spotify already has a number of video options available. 

This incudes 30-second Clips, which artists can add to their album pages or artist profiles, and Canvas - a short, looping visual that artists can add to tracks. 

However, until now, users have not been able to watch full music videos within the app.  

The feature was announced today, and is described as a 'powerful way for fans to discover and connect with music.'

In a post on its blog, Spotify explained: 'Spotify is where fans go to dive deeper into an artist's music. 

'So whether you're a superfan who wants to rewatch the videos you love and share them with friends, or a casual fan on the lookout for new releases, music videos create a new point of connection with artists.'

A 'short catalog' of music videos will begin to roll out in the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya from today. 

This includes songs from global artists Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat, and Ice Spice.

However, there's an important catch - the feature is only available in beta to Premium users. 

It's currently the go-to platform for music videos. But YouTube now faces stiff competition from Spotify

If you're a Premium user in one of these 11 markets, simply head to your iOS, Android, desktop, or TV device, and select the 'Switch to Video' toggle for supported music tracks. 

The music video will then start playing within the Now Playing view. 

To watch the video in full screen, turn your mobile device to landscape mode. 

If you want to return to background listening, you can tap 'Switch to Audio' at any time.  

'In this beta launch, we'll continue to innovate and iterate based on feedback from both users and artists,' Spotify added. 

'Stay tuned as we hope to expand the catalog of music videos and bring the feature to more users and countries.'