As Apple secures exclusive after exclusive with the hottest names in music, Spotify is beginning to feel the heat. According to Troy Carter, global head of creator services at Spotify, these deals are “bad for artists, bad for consumers, and bad for the whole industry.”
Spotify might be the biggest music streaming service right now, with almost 40 million paying subscribers, but there’s no doubt it will be worried about the threat from some of its rivals — particularly Apple Music, which continues to offer up big exclusives.
In recent months, Apple’s service has given us new albums from Frank Ocean, Drake, and Britney Spears, and new singles from Katy Perry and Pharrell Williams — all of which were made available before they hit rival streaming services.
It’s deals like these that attract new subscribers to Apple Music, and encourage consumers to ditch their existing commitment to services like Spotify. So, as you might expect, Spotify isn’t too happy about them.
In an interview with Billboard, Carter insists that because most consumers don’t subscribe to multiple services, making music available on one platform only encourages fans to download it illegally, or stream it from sources like YouTube, where it generates less revenue.
He joked Spotify will only offer “inclusives,” and added that he has been picked up by the company to strengthen its relationship with the music community.
But these exclusives can’t be hurting Spotify too much. The service continues to be insanely popular, picking up almost over 9 million paying subscribers since March. In fact, it is currently adding new subscribers faster than ever.
Back in May, Spotify vice president Jonathan Forster said that the arrival of Apple Music was only helping increasing Spotify’s exposure and helping it gain new users. It certainly seems as though that effect is yet to wear off.
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
5 responses to “Sore Spotify says music exclusives are bad for everyone”
I think “limited time” exclusives are just good marketing. I think “full exclusives” aren’t really in favor of the consumer but Target has been doing it for years with their special edition CDs they carry for artists that you can only get at their store.
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Because they are bad for everyone. Your blind fanboy approach in which a company can do no wrong and will be defended no matter what, regardless of what atrocities it commits, is truly terrifying… just look at this case, or patent wars, or the fraudulent tax agreements when people are jumping in saying it’s fine for Apple to pay less than 2% tax ( sic! ) because it’s their beloved Apple which can do no wrong… sad.
Drake, Brittany Spears, Frank Ocean ….. Katy Perry? LOL!
Exclusive and simply AWFUL.
Hard to compete when your main competition gets a 30% cut of your revenue right from the start. Not many companies could survive that type of disadvantage.