Holt To Head Spotify Content

Spotify has lured Disney executive Courtney Holt to lead its original content efforts.

The hire -- first reported by Variety -- comes less than a week after news surfaced that the music streaming startup was parting ways with  Tom Calderone, its global head of content partnerships.

Under Holt’s leadership, Spotify will continue to experiment in original content. In the short term, the company plans to expand video related to serval shows, including “Rap Caviar” and “Rock This,” a Spotify spokesperson said.

Holt joined the Disney family in 2014 when the media giant acquired Maker Studios, which he was heading at the time.

Calderone joined Spotify in early 2016 to oversee its original content efforts, including shows, studio content and podcasts. As former head of VH1, Calderone’s appointment was a clear signal that Spotify had high original content aspirations. 

Before Calderone’s arrival at Spotify, the music-streaming company was already exploring video opportunities. With the help of media partners like ABC, Conde Nast and Comedy Central, it officially added video to its content mix at the beginning of 2016.

During Calderone’s tenure, Spotify aligned with a number of media partners, including Russel Simmons’ All Def Digital, Panoply Studios, Gimlet Media and Loudspeaker Network.

Spotify isn’t the only tech company with big content ambitions. Apple, for one, has reportedly set aside about $1 billion for its original content push.

Calderone served as president of VH1 since late 2008. He officially joined the Viacom family in 1998 after assuming the position of music and talent programming at MTV Networks.

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