Gen Z’s Revealing Critique of Spotify’s Video Push

Intentionally blurred view of the NYU class

YouTube is now the most-watched streaming platform, surpassing Netflix, Disney, and everyone else. If you’ve listened to recent interviews with Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, one thing is clear, Spotify wants to be YouTube.

Spotify’s days of being a jukebox with a side hustle in podcasts feel increasingly distant. Today, it craves more of your time, eyeballs, and engagement. But Spotify’s pivot to video is far from a guaranteed success. While many industry experts have offered their opinions, I can share unique insights from a weekly focus group of sorts —my NYU Business of Podcasting class.

These students represent Spotify’s core Gen Z audience. They’re bright, naturally engaged, and deeply attuned to their media habits. Hardwired into Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, they bring a brutally honest perspective to the conversation.

The student’s observations indicate Spotify may face a steep uphill climb when it comes to video. It’s not just because YouTube dominates the space but also because Spotify may not fully understand the ‘job’ users hire it to do.

Let’s break down the feedback.

Star-power drives Spotify’s video vision.

While the students gravitate toward high-profile creators, think Call Her Daddy-style, big-name podcasts, they also love smaller, niche shows. One student said directly, “The podcasts I care about most aren’t hosted by celebrities.” Fandom takes on so many different forms. 

Spotify’s video strategy seems hyper-focused on marquee names, banking on their built-in audiences. But many smaller podcasters, who make up the creative heartbeat of the podcasting world, lack the resources or support to jump into video. As one student asked, “If you're a small creator, why would you bother with video on Spotify instead of YouTube?”

This is a disconnect. Spotify is building its video podcast foundation on big stars, while the long tail of creators—the ones that keep audiences coming back week after week—will likely be left out.

Watch or listen? It depends.

When asked about video podcasts, students said audio remains their preference for multitasking. “Video demands two senses,” one student said, explaining why they’d rather listen while commuting, cooking, or studying. Video podcasts, they argued, can require dedicated attention, and not every show is worth that.

There’s nuance here. Some students appreciate video podcasts when the visuals add genuine value. They pointed to shows with co-host dynamics, where facial expressions and body language enhance the content. Single-host shows, by contrast, often fall flat in video format, offering little visual appeal. Emma Chamberlain’s hugely successful podcast was a recurring example. “I’d rather just listen,” one student said. Many agreed. Emma’s video numbers lag her audio podcast audience. 

“If it’s just someone sitting in front of a mic, what’s the point of video?” 

The key takeaway is not every podcast needs video; if you add it, make it worth watching.

As data from Sounds Profitable’s Tom Webster reinforces, video podcast consumers are often listening AND watching depending on context or mood.  That theme runs throughout my student’s observations.

Fighting the Kleenex effect.

Just as Kleenex is synonymous with tissues, YouTube is the default mental placeholder for video content. Regardless of alternatives available, when people think of video, they instinctively think of YouTube.

My students see the comparison of YouTube and Spotify as lopsided. YouTube isn’t just a platform; it’s a cultural practice and a massive and effective search engine. YouTube is a habit. It’s a verb. It’s the first stop for video, whether for podcasts, tutorials, or rabbit holes of random clips.

“When I think of video, I think of YouTube.” This sentiment was nearly universal in class. Students described YouTube as “the place they go to search for content.” 

A few students were even surprised to learn that Spotify offers video podcasts. “I thought Spotify was for music and audio shows,” one said. A few students were unaware music videos are on the platform, too. 

Spotify has a user interface issue.

Spotify’s overall user interface, including its video podcast experience, was another sticking point. Compared to YouTube, some students found Spotify’s approach to be clunky and unintuitive. My students said,  

“YouTube is simple. I can find what I want instantly.” 

“Spotify feels like it’s making video harder than it needs to be.” 

This isn’t a minor issue. As we’ve seen in several research studies, user experience can make or break adoption. If Spotify wants users to embrace video podcasts, the experience must be frictionless.

Is it a podcast or talk show?

Students debated whether video podcasts are still podcasts or something else entirely. The line between podcasts and traditional talk shows gets fuzzier by the day, and that’s causing new concerns. One recurring frustration is podcasts referencing visuals like charts, props, or reactions that are not explained clearly for audio listeners.

Balanced formats are a must. The consensus was successful video podcasts must serve both audio and video audiences equally. Few shows manage to pull this off. One student summed it up by saying, “Don’t make me feel like I’m missing something because I’m listening instead of watching.”

Spotify faces multiple hurdles in its video evolution.

The students identified a handful of critical obstacles Spotify must overcome. 

• Differentiation: “Spotify will need a strong differentiation strategy to succeed against YouTube,” one student said. Users have no reason to switch platforms without unique features or compelling value. 

•  Awareness gap: Many students weren’t even aware that Spotify offered video podcasts. That’s a huge marketing miss. 

• Habitual behavior: Today, these students rarely use Spotify to consume video, whether it’s podcasts or music videos. YouTube owns this space in their minds.

The famous Harvard professor and business strategist Clayton Christensen often focused on his ‘jobs to be done’ framework, which provides a helpful lens for evaluating Spotify’s video ambitions. What are users hiring Spotify to do? For most, Spotify is about convenience, personalization, and audio-first experiences. Video doesn’t naturally fit into that equation, at least not how Spotify currently implements it. Today, it feels bolted on, not integrated. 

One student captured it perfectly, saying, “Spotify is great at audio. Why are they trying so hard to be something else?”

Spotify’s video pivot is by no means doomed – they are a smart, resilient and relentless - but my students’ insights make one thing certain: if Spotify wants to win at video, it can’t just copy YouTube. It needs to focus on what makes Spotify “Spotify” and build from there. 

As one student said, “Spotify needs to double down on what it’s good at. Right now, video feels like a distraction.” Another added, “Why would someone watch a video on Spotify instead of YouTube?

So far, the answer isn’t clear.

A personal note: 

I’ve just completed my second year of teaching at NYU, and it has become one of the most rewarding parts of my work. It sharpens and challenges my thinking, sparks fresh ideas, and offers a clear lens on the present. But above all, it’s the curiosity and fresh perspective of the students that gives me a glimpse into a smarter, more creative future. 

My deep thanks to Larry Miller, Director of The Music Business program at NYU for having created the path for me and the course. 

This week I am at CES looking at major tech announcements and what it might mean for audio and video. The Nvidia keynote was huge. More soon.

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