Just when you thought your monthly subscription was safe, Spotify decided to raise prices, again. Starting next month, US subscribers will face higher rates for Premium, Duo and Family plans, marking the second increase in a year.
Starting in July, Spotify Premium will cost $11.99 per month, down from $10.99 previously. Duo plans will increase by $2 to $16.99 per month and Family plans will see a $3 increase, bringing the total to $19.99 per month.
Spotify justified these increases by stating: “So that we can continue to invest and innovate in the features of our products and give users the best experience, we occasionally update our prices.”
The streaming giant is far from alone in this inflationary trend. Major competitors like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus have also increased their prices recently, leading many to question the future affordability of streaming services.
Likewise, for many artists, Spotify's payment model remains a contentious issue. The platform pays royalties based on an artist's share of total streams, which amounts to approximately $0.003 to $0.005 per work, which is not enough for the vast majority of artists to sustain a living wage.
Ironically, the company's announcement comes at a controversial time. Just a few days ago, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek faced backlash for a publish in X stating that the cost of creating content was “close to zero”, a statement widely criticized by musicians who argued that producing quality music is far from free. Ek eventually stepped back but still faces a lot of criticism.
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