The past few days have brought – at least from the perspective of music rights holders – the welcome news than the flagship price of youtube music (And Youtube Premium) is increased in the United States.
This news follows similar price increases in the United States over the past year, from Apple Music ($9.99 per month to $10.99 per month for its flagship individual subscription) and Amazon Music.
However, we have yet to hear a word from Spotify about an increase in the monthly price of his individual Premium subscription level in the United States.
That seems about to change.
The Wall Street Journal reports today (July 21) that Spotify is set to announce price increases next week, with its flagship individual subscription product increasing in the US by US$9.99 per month to $10.99 per month – the same increase that Apple Music enacted for its service in October last year.
THE WSJ further reports that similar Spotify price increases are expected to hit “dozens of markets” around the world in the coming months.
The figures recently revealed by the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) suggested that Spotify matter 44.4 million paying subscribers in the United States at the end of February.
At the same time, suggested the NMPA figures, Apple Music had 32.6 million US-based subscribers, with Amazon Music on 29.3 million.
In addition to these subscriber statistics, at the NMPA’s annual meeting – which took place on June 14 – the trade body’s CEO and chairman, Israelite Davidrevealed what it called a “very important announcement” regarding two such services.
According to Israelite: “When Amazon and Apple increased their subscription prices, not only did they not lose subscribers, but they experienced subscriber growth.
In the fourth quarter of last year, Apple Music announcement that it was increasing its standard monthly subscription price from $9.99 to $10.99 in the US and from £9.99 to £10.99 in the UK. It also increased the price of its family plan in both territories.
In January, Amazon Music confirmed to customers who, like Apple, would increase its individual standard Amazon Music Unlimited monthly subscription price from $9.99 to $10.99 in US and £9.99 to £10.99 in UK.The music industry around the world