Leading commerce platform Shopify has announced a strategic partnership with Spotify. The aim of the partnership is to give artists creative freedom that expands beyond music.

With the announcement of the new partnership, artists are able to link Shopify accounts to their artist page. It will go beyond the tradition of simply music and merch, and instead build fully realised brands. 

Spotify is aiming to make a creator economy on the platform. Statistics released by Spotfy say that the creator economy is estimated to be worth over $100 billion, with over 50 million creators. 

How will it work?

When on an artist’s Spotify channel, fans will be able to see products created or associated with that artist. By connecting their Spotify for Artists account with their Shopify online store, artists can then sync their product catalogues. 

Through the partnership, the two platforms hope to make it just as easy to browse an artist’s webstore as it is their catalogue of music. The all-in-one commerce platform will allow artists to manage their brands across multiple touchpoints. The meeting between the two powerhouses of audio streaming and e-commerce will create its own ecosystem for the creators.

Shaun Broughton, managing director APAC, Shopify says, “Shopify is already powering the online stores of local and international acts, and the Spotify integration will further empower Aussie and Kiwi artists to showcase their unique talent, brand or creativity, and engage their fans even more effectively.”

Shopify is of benefit to both established and emerging artists. For new artists, Shopify will allow them to have everyone in one place, for a start. For established artists, Shopify has the ability to handle high-volume traffic and highly-anticipated product launches.

Today, the channel is available to artists in 177 countries, and available to listeners in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and the UK.