Spotify is trying to be more like YouTube, and users aren’t happy

Don't like video podcasts? Too bad.

May 29, 2025 - 21:30

Spotify is trying to be more like YouTube, and users aren’t happy

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Spotify has added video podcast recommendations to the Home screen, below shortcuts.
Videos now have comment threads and links to more content, similar to YouTube.
Some users complain that these new features move too far from the core music experience.

Spotify made its name as the be-all and end-all music streaming app, but recently, the company has shifted its strategies toward podcasts and video. Now, the company is pushing video even harder by adding it to the Home screen, and it might be a step too far.

Announced yesterday, the update puts video podcast recommendations near the top of the Home screen, right below your shortcuts. Note that this isn’t a simple widget with the latest episode of your favorite podcast, but rather a discovery feed to find new video podcasts “Picked for you.” Spotify claims that “early feedback shows that more users are engaging, saving, and liking, telling us that they’re discovering new podcasts they enjoy.”