STOCKHOLM - Music streaming giant Spotify on March 13 announced it would be posting music videos on its platform in “select markets”, entering an arena long dominated by YouTube.

“The beta version of music videos on Spotify begins rolling out today...,” the company said in a statement.

It would release limited catalogue of hits from global artists such as Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat and Ice Spice, as well as local favourites, it added.

Initially, the music videos will only be available to paying subscribers in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya.

In early February, Spotify announced it had passed 600 million monthly users, of which 236 million were paying subscribers.

Google’s streaming behemoth YouTube has long dominated music videos online, with much of the platform’s most-viewed content being music videos.

Songs like Luis Fonsi’s Despacito, Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You and K-pop star Psy’s viral hit Gangnam Style each gathered several billion views. AFP