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Spotify Sugars Premium User Experience By Offering Some New Albums Two Weeks In Advance

Spotify Sugars Premium User Experience By Offering Some New Albums Two Weeks In Advance

Spotify Sugars Premium User Experience By Offering Some New Albums Two Weeks In Advance
  • Genre : More Music
  • Type: News
  • Author : Super Admin
  • Date : Wed, 05 Apr 2017
In recent years, Spotify has shunned 'windowing' releases — the concept of record labels and artists holding back certain material from free subscribers — while competitors Apple Music and Tidal have thrived from the practice, as well as their offering of platform-only exclusive releases. However, that is all set to change. As part of a new licensing deal with Universal Music Group — the world's largest record label — the streaming service announced that it will give Universal artists the choice of restricting their new albums to paid subscribers for the first two weeks of release.

Meanwhile, Spotify will also give UMG greater access to the streaming service's troves of data to reportedly help the label better expand and engage listeners. It all looks like this is a move that is intended to help Spotify go public. The company is currently valued at over $8 billion, but has held off on going public while renegotiating contracts with the three of the world's biggest music labels, Universal, Warner, and Sony.

CEO of Universal, Sir Lucian Grainge, in a statement acknowledged streaming "represents the majority of the business." Adding, "Our challenge is transforming that upturn into sustainable growth … At UMG, we've not only reimagined distribution models and technologies, but entire business models. The only constants must be great music and fair compensation for artists and creators."

So far, this deal will only apply to full-length albums and will be up to the artists' discretion. Singles will continue to be available across all tiers. However, other labels may follow suit.


—The ARTISTdirect Staff
04.05.17

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