Virtual events have become a staple in the music industry, allowing artists to generate revenue and connect directly with fans worldwide.
To simplify discovery, Spotify now prominently features these events on artist pages and in the app's discovery sections.
The global shift due to COVID-19 forced artists to adapt, with many live shows canceled or postponed—often their primary income source.
In response, artists turned to virtual performances, delivering live music experiences straight to fans' devices.
As detailed on Spotify's For the Record blog, the platform now lists these virtual events on both desktop and mobile apps, similar to traditional in-person concerts.
Events from Songkick automatically sync to Spotify, including select Ticketmaster listings. This covers performances on external platforms like Twitch, Instagram, and YouTube—as long as they're created on Songkick.
Upcoming virtual events appear in multiple spots for seamless access.
The Concerts hub aggregates all events, highlighting recommendations based on your listening history. Access it via Browse on desktop or Search on mobile.
Artist profiles also feature them under Concerts (desktop) or On Tour (mobile), sometimes as a top highlight.
Spotify may even send personalized email recommendations to keep you in the loop.
While born from pandemic restrictions, virtual shows have surged in popularity and show signs of permanence.
Major players like Google are investing heavily, recently launching a dedicated platform for creators to host paid online events.
