Spotify agrees deal with Universal Music Group to window releases on its premium service

It means select records will only be available premium members for a period of time.

 

Source: OCC

4th April 2017 | by Rob Copley

 

Spotify has agreed a deal to window releases on its premium service after signing a new deal with Universal Music Group.

 

The multi-year global license agreement with UMG means that select records by Universal artists would be available to premium users only for two weeks, incentivising subscriptions and boosting revenue that filters through to the label.

 

It's an approach to releasing music on streaming services that has been a long term goal for artists and labels.

 

"Starting today, Universal artists can choose to release new albums on premium only for two weeks, offering subscribers an earlier chance to explore the complete creative work, while the singles are available across Spotify for all our listeners to enjoy," Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said in a statement.

 

"This partnership is built on a mutual love of music, creating value for artists and delivering for fans. We will be working together to help break new artists and connect new and established artists with a broadening universe of fans in ways that will wow them both. We know that not every album by every artist should be released the same way, and we’ve worked hard with UMG to develop a new, flexible release policy."

 

Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, added: "Eight years ago, when streaming was a welcome but small source of revenue, UMG embraced partners like Spotify as a way to help return music to a vibrant future benefitting the entire ecosystem. Working hand in hand with these digital services brought us the industry’s first real growth in nearly two decades.

 

"Today, streaming represents the majority of the business. Our challenge is transforming that upturn into sustainable growth. In a market this dynamic, one evolving more rapidly than ever before, success requires creative and continual re-evaluation of how best to bring artists’ music to fans. 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. To that end, the long-term success of Spotify, and others like it, is essential to the ecosystem’s enduring health. I congratulate Daniel on Spotify’s continued growth and innovation, and I look forward to working together with him and his team to develop exciting new ways to connect artists and fans around the world."

 

Spotify recently topped 50 million paying subscribers worldwide, while in the UK, streaming recently topped a landmark 1 billion plays across all services in a single week.

As a premium member on Spotify, I like this idea. £9.99 is ok, but just ad-free and offline listening isn't exactly much of a tempting offer considering the price and those bonuses have been in place for quite some time.

 

It may marginalise a large proportion of people into waiting to listen, but I suppose if you're desperate for an album the purchase option is there from iTunes, Amazon etc.

I think it's a good idea! Will encourage more people to pay for their subscriptions as Lewis says above, and will likely reduce the amount of album tracks flooding the top 40.

Only for two weeks though? Or is that 2 weeks earlier on Spotify and then made general release?

Only for two weeks though? Or is that 2 weeks earlier on Spotify and then made general release?

 

The former!

Spotify agrees deal with Universal Music Group to window releases on its premium service

It means select records will only be available premium members for a period of time.

 

Source: OCC

4th April 2017 | by Rob Copley

 

Spotify has agreed a deal to window releases on its premium service after signing a new deal with Universal Music Group.

Since when has window been a verb? :angry:

This is fantastic news in terms of the chart and I'd suspect that other major labels will follow suit. May I ask which prominent artists with the ability to make a dent on the chart with an album are signed to Universal?

This is fantastic news in terms of the chart and I'd suspect that other major labels will follow suit. May I ask which prominent artists with the ability to make a dent on the chart with an album are signed to Universal?

 

I'm betting this has something to do with Taylor Swift and possibly getting her on board :kink:

 

Lady Gaga, Lorde, Lana Del Rey, Kanye West all have links to Universal I think

This is fantastic news in terms of the chart and I'd suspect that other major labels will follow suit. May I ask which prominent artists with the ability to make a dent on the chart with an album are signed to Universal?

Here's a list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unive...c_Group_artists including Drake, Bieber and The Weeknd!

Will be interesting if this starts striaght away, according to the email I get from Universal these are the next Univeresal albums to be released

 

Michelle Branch - Hopeless Romantic

Cold War Kids - LA Divine

K. Flay - Every Where Is Some Where

The New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions

Tech N9ne - Dominion

I think Universal can decide whether to do this or not. if artist insists NOT to do so, I don't they force anyone

Good to hear. Nice to know us premium subscribers will be getting an added perk over the free users, and it may help album tracks not have as much of an impact.

Only for two weeks though? Or is that 2 weeks earlier on Spotify and then made general release?

 

I would guess it's a trial run.

 

I'm betting this has something to do with Taylor Swift and possibly getting her on board :kink:

 

When is her next album out? :)

Anyone else see a situation where in five or ten years, all major artists will only be available to be streamed on Premium, and the free service will just feature a load of obscure songs and artists that few care about?

 

So instead of paying £9.99 once to listen to an album, you'll be paying £9.99 every month for the rest of your life...

You'll still be able to purchase albums, I can't see a situation where the majority of releases are streaming only anytime soon.

 

It'd be god for the music industry if they can convince more people to actually pay to stream so I think this is a good idea (singles should reamain on the free platform but high profile albums premium only)

Anyone else see a situation where in five or ten years, all major artists will only be available to be streamed on Premium, and the free service will just feature a load of obscure songs and artists that few care about?

 

So instead of paying £9.99 once to listen to an album, you'll be paying £9.99 every month for the rest of your life...

 

 

I see spotify free going the way of amazon prime music

I'm betting this has something to do with Taylor Swift and possibly getting her on board :kink:

 

That's what exactly I think right now.

Anyone else see a situation where in five or ten years, all major artists will only be available to be streamed on Premium, and the free service will just feature a load of obscure songs and artists that few care about?

 

So instead of paying £9.99 once to listen to an album, you'll be paying £9.99 every month for the rest of your life...

 

Or people will switch back to piracy instead...

Or people will switch back to piracy instead...

I think there's been enough of a culture shift now, and there's even less excuse to pirate now. We'll see, though.