The Weeknd debuts an exclusive 45-minute concert film on Spotify as part of the platform's expanding video strategy. The special, part of Billions Club: The Series, celebrates artists achieving one billion streams on a single track.

Unlike previous six-minute episodes featuring Ed Sheeran and Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd's extended special marks a significant shift in Spotify's content approach. Produced by OBB Pictures, the film includes concert footage from a Los Angeles performance and exclusive voiceover content from the artist.

The special will remain exclusive to Spotify for 48 hours, targeting The Weeknd's 117 million monthly listeners. This release comes amid Spotify's aggressive push into video content, following YouTube's rise as the leading podcast platform in the US.

Challenges persist in Spotify's video expansion:

• Content moderation issues, including unauthorized uploads and adult content
• Unclear categorization of video content as podcasts
• Quality control concerns with the Partner Program
• Presence of non-music audio and generic recordings affecting artist discovery

The platform has also expanded into traditional video content through partnerships, including full TV episodes from shows like Dog Whisperer and Bob's Burgers, all while maintaining their classification as podcasts.

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