All good things must come to long, brutal, contractually negotiated end.
Spotify announced on Tuesday a new deal that includes the provision that some new albums will only be available to paying subscribers for the first two weeks.
SEE ALSO:Spotify has tapped an unexpected source to build you the perfect playlistThe news stands as a turning point in the recent history of digital music, which has seen the industry as a whole endure a significant nose dive that is only now starting to improve.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek clarified on Twitter (in response to a tweet from Recode's Peter Kafka) that new albums will only be behind the Spotify paywall on artist's request.
Tweet may have been deleted
In the grand scheme of things, it's a small concession — but one that Spotify refused to budge on for years. Spotify's pitch had been that, by having a great platform with all the best and newest music for free, they'd attract listeners and eventually convert them into paying subscribers (which is essential for the business-viability of both Spotify and the music industry).
That had remained a sticking point between Spotify and labels. On Tuesday, Spotify officially took a step over what had once been a deep line in the sand. Universal Music Group's new deal with Spotify includes the two-week provision, though it's unclear if other labels will get the same deal.
Universal is home to many of the biggest acts in music, including Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Arianna Grande, and, yes, the anti-Spotify queen herself, Taylor Swift.
Swift emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of Spotify's hardline stance on letting unpaid users listen to all music. She pulled the bulk of her music off Spotify in late 2014 after a disagreement over her album 1989.
Could Swift's music return to Spotify now that the company blinked? Maybe. A representative for Universal declined to comment, and an inquiry to Swift's camp was not immediately returned.
Swift is far from the only artist to attack Spotify (and digital music distribution in general), but the music industry's tune has changed in the past couple years.
Streaming music revenue — primarily coming from Spotify, Apple Music, Google (via YouTube), and a few others — now makes up more than half of the industry's revenue for the first time, according to 2016 data from the Recording Industry Association of America.
Credit: RIAAFor Spotify, the move solidifies its economics and puts it on track to go public in 2018.
(责任编辑：熱點)
Fake news reports from the Newseum are infinitely better than actual newsThe struggle is real for Jon Hamm because he's hotBest singles of 2017This tiny Southeast Asian country just held its first pride paradeThis German startup wants to be your bank (without being a bank)Give your kitchen sponge a rest on this adorable bed
Our kitchen sponges do a lot of work. Don't they deserve a good night's rest?"Sure," said design stu
...[详细]The 15 best Fourth of July foods, ranked
The best part of the Fourth of July is indisputably the cookout, whether that's lakeside with your f
...[详细]Kratos's son represents the humanity he lost in the 'God of War' games
God of War's hyper-violent protagonist Kratos is a dad now. Actually, he's a dad againif you count h
...[详细]When technology is used to make art, sometimes it produces beautiful results. And other times things
...[详细]You can now play 'Solitaire' and 'Tic
Google just added two new fun Easter eggs to its search results.。You can now play。 Solitaire。and 。 Ti
...[详细]iPhones of the future may memorize your sleep patterns
If you use an iPhone, Apple probably controls most of your waking hours. The company could take over
...[详细]VirZoom's mobile sensor uses Gear VR to turn normal bikes into VR workout machines
The original idea behind the VirZoom was brilliant: a stationary bike that lets you exercise while c
...[详细]A Game of Thrones chatbot is here to answer all your burning questions
Winter is coming -- so hurry up and let this bot tell you everything you need to know before the new
...[详细]Xiaomi accused of copying again, this time by Jawbone
Imitation is not always the best form of flattery.
。 SEE ALSO:Xiaomi's MacBook Air clone is called, w
...[详细]iPhones of the future may memorize your sleep patterns
If you use an iPhone, Apple probably controls most of your waking hours. The company could take over
...[详细]Carlos Beltran made a very interesting hair choice
IBM jumps into forecasting the weather exactly where you live