Spotify Adds Genius Shows Open Mic and Verified in Video Expansion
- Spotify users can now access full episodes of the performance show Open Mic, featuring artists playing stripped-down versions of their tracks, as part of an expanded video partnership...
- The formal agreement brings new episodes of Open Mic to the digital service provider each Thursday at 8 AM PT.
- The arrangement also covers fresh installments of the Genius series Verified, which release concurrently on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Spotify users can now access full episodes of the performance show Open Mic, featuring artists playing stripped-down versions of their tracks, as part of an expanded video partnership with music platform Genius, according to reporting by Digital Music News on Sept. 11, 2026.
Spotify Expands Genius Partnership With Open Mic Video Rollout
The formal agreement brings new episodes of Open Mic to the digital service provider each Thursday at 8 AM PT. Archival episodes are now hosted on dedicated pages within the application.
The arrangement also covers fresh installments of the Genius series Verified, which release concurrently on Wednesdays and Fridays. Verified episodes have appeared on Spotify since late 2025 as part of a phased rollout that both companies recently confirmed.
Strategic Shift Under New Leadership
The video expansion underscores a strategic shift for Spotify under co-CEOs Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström following the departure of former CEO Daniel Ek at the beginning of 2026.
While Ek pursued an aggressive focus on general podcasts and video podcasts, current leadership has pivoted toward music content tailored for superfans using the on-demand streaming application. This strategy includes platform exclusives from artists like Noah Kahan and Olivia Rodrigo, a K-pop video podcast series created with Hybe, and direct-upload support for live performances and music videos.
Leveraging Massive Global Reach
For Genius, the partnership offers a path to increase viewership by leveraging Spotify’s massive user base, which reported an average of 777 million monthly active users during the second quarter.
Rob Markman, vice president of music and content at Genius, stated in comments reported by Digital Music News that the collaboration creates another avenue for fans to engage deeply with music.
Open Mic and Verified were created to give artists a space to connect with fans on a different level. Bringing these series to Spotify allows us to expand their reach to an even bigger global audience and create another way for fans to go deeper on the songs they love,
Markman said.
Balancing Interface Crowding and Subscription Costs
