Netflix and Spotify in talks over music-focused collaboration amid rising competition

According to a Wall Street Journal report published on Wednesday (3 July), citing sources familiar with the matter, the discussions have included possible partnerships on a music awards show, a live concert series, celebrity interviews, and quick-turnaround documentary projects aimed at maintaining cultural relevance.

Netflix is said to be expanding its music-related content, including a reboot of the classic talent show Star Search, and the debut of a new competition series titled Building the Band, set to premiere next week. The show, hosted by Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean, will feature musicians auditioning for a spot in a band without meeting their potential bandmates until rehearsals commence.

Netflix vice president of Nonfiction Series and Sports, Brandon Riegg, told the Wall Street Journal that the platform has seen strong performance from reality shows such as Love Is Blind and Million Dollar Secret, its answer to Survivor.

For its music competition programming, Netflix has reportedly enlisted Jeff Gaspin, the former NBCUniversal executive known for commissioning The Voice, to lead its unscripted music content. Gaspin recently joined Netflix as Vice President of Unscripted Series.

Riegg suggested that a potential second season of Building the Band could include a live finale. However, Gaspin emphasised that any live elements must be purpose-driven. “We don’t want to do live for live’s sake… If we are going to do live, we should have a reason,” he said.

A second music competition series is also believed to be in development, with a release expected in the coming months, sources told the Wall Street Journal.

The reported talks with Spotify underscore Netflix’s growing interest in live programming and expanding its content slate, following its first subscription price hike in the United States in over 18 months, which took effect in January.

Under the new pricing, Netflix increased its ad-free Standard plan, allowing two simultaneous HD streams, by $2.50 to $17.99 per month (up from $15.49). The Premium tier now costs $24.99, up from $22.99.

As Music Business Worldwide previously noted, this move has widened the gap between Netflix and Spotify’s subscription pricing. Spotify raised its Premium plan by $1 to $11.99 in June 2024.

Netflix’s push into music content coincides with intensifying competition among streaming platforms for subscriber growth. By the end of 2024, Netflix had amassed 301.6 million paid subscribers, marking a 16% year-on-year increase. Spotify, meanwhile, reported 268 million Premium subscribers in Q1 2025, reflecting a 12% rise from the previous year.

For Spotify, a partnership with Netflix would align with its recent experimentation with video content. The Sweden-based company announced the beta launch of music videos in March 2025, initially rolling out in 11 countries including the UK, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Brazil and the Philippines. Egypt was later added to the list.

In October 2024, Spotify revealed plans to expand music video streaming to 85 new markets. The platform also recently launched exclusive K-pop performance videos, available exclusively to paying subscribers.