Spotify’s NMPA video deal rewires publishing
By Trevor Loucks
Founder & Lead Developer, Dynamoi
Spotify just quietly gave independent publishers a choice: sign a new direct audiovisual license with Spotify, or risk being left out of the next phase of video on the platform.
On November 11, Spotify and the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) launched an Opt‑In Portal that lets NMPA member publishers sign a U.S. deal covering music videos and other visual features inside Spotify’s app, with onboarding running through December 19. In return for those rights, Spotify promises “higher royalty payouts” on audiovisual uses as it rolls out more video products and experiments with YouTube‑ and TikTok‑style formats.
The catch: the actual royalty formulas, protections and audit rights have not been made public, and the deal is only available to NMPA members for now.
Why it matters:
For independent publishers and songwriters, this is the first time Spotify has put a dedicated audiovisual license on the table without going through labels or PROs, creating a potential new revenue line separate from audio streams.
For Spotify, the deal clears a key legal hurdle as it brings full‑length music videos and richer visual surfaces to the U.S. market, on top of existing experiments like vertical feeds, video podcasts and Netflix‑bound shows.
For labels, managers and marketing teams, the move turns Spotify from “just audio” into a more full‑funnel video channel where premieres, snippets and UGC‑style clips can live next to traditional streams, with different rights, rates and placements than YouTube or TikTok.
It also lands right after this year’s fights over Spotify’s audiobook bundling and alleged underpayments to publishers, so many teams will read this offer as part opportunity, part damage control.
By the numbers:
- Two key dates. The Opt‑In Portal opened November 11 and is scheduled to accept sign‑ups through December 19, giving publishers just over five weeks to decide whether to participate.
- U.S. only (for now). The agreement covers audiovisual uses in the United States, while existing deals with major publishers and societies continue to govern other territories and audio‑only uses.
- Stacked against major deals. Spotify has already signed separate audiovisual agreements this year with BMG, Universal, Warner, Sony Music Group, Kobalt, Merlin and others, deals widely believed to include sizable advances and broader protections.
- Video is not a side project. Spotify now hosts more than half a million video podcasts and has a Netflix partnership lined up to bring select Spotify Studios and Ringer video shows to streaming TV, signaling that long‑form video is central to its roadmap.
Between the lines:
The portal is limited to NMPA member publishers, which means self‑administered writers and non‑member indies may be left watching from the sidelines or nudged into new admin deals simply to get access.
Because the financial terms are confidential, publishers are being asked to sign away a bundle of audiovisual rights without public benchmarks on per‑stream rates, minimum guarantees, advances or how “higher royalties” will actually be calculated.
Legal observers have already noted that the agreement could fold public performance and sync‑style rights into a single direct license, potentially reducing the role of U.S. PROs in the video layer and raising most‑favoured‑nation questions with competing platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
There is also very little clarity on how user‑generated or creator‑uploaded videos on Spotify will be treated, or whether the opt‑in will be used to backfill licensing gaps for tracks and visual assets that are already live.
What teams should do now:
Publishers. Map which works and writers you control in the U.S., confirm whether you qualify through NMPA membership, and request a business‑side breakdown of the deal before opting in, including how advances, minimums and audiovisual revenue will flow to your writers.
Songwriters. Ask your publisher whether they plan to participate, how they will share any new advances or bonuses, and whether the deal changes your audit rights or reporting cadence on audiovisual uses.
Labels and artist teams. Treat Spotify’s video surfaces as a rights‑specific channel rather than an afterthought: align release calendars across YouTube, TikTok and Spotify video, and stress‑test how much of your marketing plan depends on visual formats whose licensing and royalties are still being defined.
Marketers and media buyers. Watch how Spotify weaves music videos and clips into its ad products over the next 6–12 months, and plan tests that compare saves, playlist adds and downstream audio streams from Spotify video placements versus YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Reels.
The bottom line: this deal is both a bridge and a bet.
It gives independents a path into Spotify’s video future, but it also asks them to trade opacity today for the promise of “higher” payouts tomorrow, in a market where small phrases in fine print can move millions of dollars between platforms, publishers and artists.
About the Editor
Trevor Loucks is the founder and lead developer of Dynamoi, where he focuses on the convergence of music business strategy and advertising technology. He focuses on applying the latest ad-tech techniques to artist and record label campaigns so they compound downstream music royalty growth.
