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Spotify is raising the cost of Premium subscriptions, again (www.engadget.com)

submitted 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

323 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Spotify is officially raising its Premium subscription rates in the US come July, following reports of the move in April. The platform is increasing its Individual plan from $11 to $12 monthly and its Duo plan from $15 to $17 monthly — the same jump as last year's $1 and $2 price hikes, respectively. However, its Family plan is going up by a whopping $3, increasing from $17 to $20 monthly. The only subscribers getting a break are students, who will continue to pay $6 monthly.

Spotify announced the price hikes less than a year after its previous one last July. Before that, Spotify hadn't raised its fees since launching a decade and a half ago. I guess it was too optimistic to hope the next increase would also take that long, especially with Spotify's continued focus (and money dump) on audiobooks.

Premium subscribers should receive an email from Spotify in the next month detailing the price hike and providing a link to cancel their plan if they would prefer to do so. Users currently on a trial period for Spotify will get one month at $11 after it ends before being moved up to a $12 monthly fee.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 months ago (2 children)

The problem is that creators aren't getting paid their fair share, and these platforms leech off of their creativity. I hate to be "that guy", but this is where NFTs actually have a use case. Give power directly to the creators of their music by allowing them sell directly to fans. This gives power to the creators and to the listeners who own the NFT. Embracing new technology is a way to break beyond corporate enshittification. We must break past "you will own nothing and be happy" and it seems like blockchain is one of the only ways to do it technologically.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

People have a negative image of NFTs because of the speculation and early (crappy) implementations of the technology. It's just a technology. I think web3 will be the answer to a lot of the corporate enshittification issues we see today. Community owned and operated networks and organizations are the future.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Why not just use Bandcamp? Even with nfts someone has to maintain the CDN. Alternatively, run your own site.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Because then they wouldn't be able to evangelize NFTs. You see this constantly with crypto/NFT tech, a solution in search of a problem

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Blockchain is used for Xbox royalties.

The problem is that legacy rights holder (the middlemen) have no incentive to use blockchain to cut themselves out. They have the legal high ground and are not going to give it up.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Right, and blockchain/NFT have nothing to do with that problem. Xbox could have implemented the exact same program without a blockchain, they just wanted the buzzword in the headline.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

"By implementing a blockchain-based network and streamlined royalty processing, game publishers and Xbox benefit from a more trusted, transparent and connected system from contract creation through to royalty settlements"

Trust is the key ingredient added by blockchain. Traditional databases couldn't be trusted to be honest.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

If a game developer can't trust the platform you're developing for, you probably should look to find better business partners.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Excatly! Turn that around.

Platforms can attract more developers by proving they are trustworthy.