Spotify news

Spotify to cut its global workforce by 17%

public

Spotify • 4 min read

Spotify to cut its global workforce by 17%

Spotify has announced it is cutting about 17% of its global workforce - around 1500 employees - in a bid to build “a stronger, more efficient Spotify for the future”, citing concerns about debt costs.…

Chris Cooke • 04 Dec 2023

Setlist Podcast: Sony Music tells US politicians to act on AI loopholes

public

Sony Music • 3 min read

Setlist Podcast: Sony Music tells US politicians to act on AI loopholes

Sony Music's call for US Congress to act on AI legal loopholes, the big bust up between Hall & Oates over “the ultimate partnership betrayal” and more…

Andy Malt & Chris Cooke • 01 Dec 2023

Spotify unwraps Wrapped - assigns everyone a Sound Town

public

Spotify • 1 min read

Spotify unwraps Wrapped - assigns everyone a Sound Town

Spotify Wrapped went live for 2023 yesterday with every user being assigned a Sound Town - a town or city selected based on what music they have listened to this year…

Chris Cooke • 30 Nov 2023

Setlist Podcast: Spotify insists royalty changes will help emerging artists

public

Spotify • 4 min read

Setlist Podcast: Spotify insists royalty changes will help emerging artists

On this week's episode, Spotify's confirmation of plans to update how it pays out (or doesn't pay out) royalties, the decision to bounce the MSG Sphere venue out of London, and more…

Andy Malt & Chris Cooke • 24 Nov 2023

Spotify confirms changes to its payment process - including the 1000 plays a year threshold

public

Spotify • 2 min read

Spotify confirms changes to its payment process - including the 1000 plays a year threshold

Spotify has confirmed the changes it is making to the way it pays out royalties each month, with new policies around stream manipulation and functional audio, and the 1000 plays a year threshold that tracks must pass to earn anything at all…

Chris Cooke • 22 Nov 2023

Specifics of Spotify's deal with Google on in-app payments revealed in Epic court case

public

Spotify • 2 min read

Specifics of Spotify's deal with Google on in-app payments revealed in Epic court case

Details have been revealed about Spotify’s deal with Google around in-app payments on Android devices - when users make payments via Spotify’s own transactions system it doesn’t have to pay any fees to the tech giant…

Chris Cooke • 22 Nov 2023

New York judge dismisses Black Sheep lawsuit on Universal's Spotify equity

public

Universal Music • 2 min read

New York judge dismisses Black Sheep lawsuit on Universal's Spotify equity

A New York court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by rap duo Black Sheep which accused Universal Music of agreeing to take a lower royalty rate from Spotify in return for getting equity in the streaming firm - and in doing so reducing the royalties received by artists…

Chris Cooke • 21 Nov 2023

Spotify says it will exit Uruguay next year because of new performer ER right in copyright law

public

Spotify • 2 min read

Spotify says it will exit Uruguay next year because of new performer ER right in copyright law

Spotify has announced that it will stop operating in Uruguay next year because of a change to the country’s copyright law that provides performers with a statutory right to equitable remuneration when their music is streamed…

Chris Cooke • 21 Nov 2023

One Liners: Music NDA inquiry, Black Music Coalition, Everything Everything, + more

public

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 2 min read

One Liners: Music NDA inquiry, Black Music Coalition, Everything Everything, + more

Deadline for parliament’s music NDA inquiry evidence, Spotify partners with Orange; Black Music Coalition launches memberships; Everything Everything, Yaosobi, Nouvelle Vague, O. and Vlure releases; tour news from In Flames and Arch Enemy, and Bellowhead…

Andy Malt • 20 Nov 2023

CMU Digest: YouTube’s voice-cloning announcements, Stability AI audio chief resigns over the company’s fair use position + more

public

CMU Digest • 5 min read

CMU Digest: YouTube’s voice-cloning announcements, Stability AI audio chief resigns over the company’s fair use position + more

In this week's digest: YouTube launches a new voice cloning tool; Stability AI’s audio chief resigns over its insistence that training AI is ‘fair use’; Spotify’s new anti-fraud fines are criticised + more…

Chris Cooke • 18 Nov 2023

Distrokid boss critical of Spotify plan to fine distributors over tracks with heavy stream manipulation

public

Spotify • 2 min read

Distrokid boss critical of Spotify plan to fine distributors over tracks with heavy stream manipulation

Spotify will start issuing fines to labels and distributors that deliver tracks that are subject to heavy stream manipulation - a move that has been criticised by at least one DIY distributor…

Chris Cooke • 16 Nov 2023

TikTok launches feature to save song straight to streaming apps

public

TikTok • 1 min read

TikTok launches feature to save song straight to streaming apps

TikTok has launched a new feature called Add To Music App, which saves tracks heard on the video-sharing platform straight to a user’s streaming app of choice. So long as that app is Spotify or Amazon Music, currently…

Andy Malt • 15 Nov 2023