Spotify Punishing Artists Who Offer Apple Music Exclusives [Updated]

[MacRumors]

Spotify and Apple Music are becoming increasingly bitter rivals, and according to new reports from The New York Times and Bloomberg, the feuding is now affecting artists. Spotify has been punishing artists who agree to Apple Music exclusives, displaying their content less prominently and offering fewer promotional opportunities.

Spotify has explicitly told artists who offer Apple Music exclusives that their music won't be included on featured playlists, and Spotify has also "buried" their songs in its search rankings. The music streaming service has reportedly been using these retaliatory tactics for about a year.

Spotify has been retaliating against musicians who introduce new material exclusively on rival Apple Music by making their songs harder to find, according to people familiar with the strategy. Artists who have given Apple exclusive access to new music have been told they won't be able to get their tracks on featured playlists once the songs become available on Spotify, said the people, who declined to be identified discussing the steps.

Spotify's tactics may not affect major artists in a significant way, but according to Bloomberg, the service has also threatened smaller acts who introduce their music on Beats 1 Radio with Zane Lowe.

Since Apple Music launched last year, Apple has been using exclusive content as a way to lure new subscribers to the service. Artists like Drake, Frank Ocean, Dreezy, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry have debuted content exclusively on Apple Music, something both Spotify and record labels have become increasingly uncomfortable with.

Earlier this week, Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grange told employees that UMG is now prohibiting its artists from offering music exclusives, meaning popular content from Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, and more, will no longer be eligible for debut solely on Apple Music. UMG's new policy has already affected Apple, preventing Apple Music from inking a deal with Lady Gaga.

At its one year anniversary in June, Apple Music boasted more than 15 million subscribers, and should it continue its rapid growth rate, the service could eventually eclipse Spotify as the most popular streaming service. Spotify continues to have approximately twice as many subscribers but the music service continues to struggle because it has yet to become profitable.

Update: According to a Spotify spokesperson that spoke to MacRumors, Bloomberg's claim that Spotify has "buried" search results for songs of artists who have signed Apple Music exclusives is "unequivocally false."

Article Link: Spotify Punishing Artists Who Offer Apple Music Exclusives [Updated]

 

[Quu]

I want a price war.

 

[bpeeps]

I guess being petty is their new business model.

 

[smacrumon]

This is getting ugly, and sadly it's the artists, the actual content producers, that are getting the worst deal in all of this.

 

[cmChimera]

*Spotify damaging their own user experience in petty temper tantrum*

FTFY

 

[usarioclave]

The label is preventing artists from exclusives...because exclusives hurt the labels' bottom line.

 

[Villarrealadrian]

#PrayForTheMusic haha

 

[MacNut]

I thought Taylor Swizzle Stick pulled her music from all streaming services. Or can the labels force her back on?

 

[djcerla]

As Apple learned the hard way, going thermonuclear is not good business.

 

[acctman]

as much as I love Spotify, if Apple decides to revoke the Spotify app from the App Store I would just laugh. Spotify is starting the be the a_hole/greedy company.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

This not a good way for a company to act and garner favor among artists or consumers. It's like they're lashing out as a last resort to their failing business. I used to like Spotify and paid for their premium service, but I switched to Google Play Music and at this point I'm glad I did.

 

[Dave245]

Spotify would do well not to start a fight with a company who is bigger, has a lot more money and more pull within the music industry than they do.

 

[duervo]

Biting the hand (artists) that feeds you (UMG) simply because they're (artists) looking out for themselves is going to come back on UMG in the end. I predict that there will be an eventual migration of artists away from UMG labels over time if this behavior keeps up.

Same thing with Spotify. If competition is really as fierce in the digital market as some statements make it out to be, then it's a fools errand to be doing the things that Spotify are alleged to be doing in this article. If true, then Spotify shouldn't be crying when they find that artists begin migrating away from their platform.

The behavior is rather childish and quite contrary, TBH.

 

[DMaki650]

All I can think of when seeing stuff like this is. Spotify's grapes must be sour.

 

[Brookzy]

How are these exclusives not the subject of investigation by the authorities - especially in Europe?

Last time I checked, concocting a monopoly out of a naturally competitive market was illegal in the UK.

 

[justperry]

I guess I am getting old, I neither like Spotify nor Apple Music, I prefer real Radio which is free, sadly apple decided not to have a radio tuner app on the iPhone (read greed), the hardware is there.

 

[2010mini]

The label is preventing artists from exclusives...because exclusives hurt the labels' bottom line.

BS. The labels have always used exclusives.

 

[blacktape242]

fight fight fight! after school, behind the gym....

 

[2010mini]

How are these exclusives not the subject of investigation by the authorities - especially in Europe?

Last time I checked, concocting a monopoly out of a naturally competitive market was illegal in the UK.

Because exclusives are nothing new. It's been a business practice in the music industry way before digital downloads was a thing.

 

[keysofanxiety]

as much as I love Spotify, if Apple decides to revoke the Spotify app from the App Store I would just laugh. Spotify is starting the be the ******/greedy company.

Spotify aren't really profitable. This article possibly indicates they're a little desperate at the moment.

I can appreciate why it's a bit tough for them to take on the chin; a music streaming application that has become ubiquitous, only for a larger company with deeper pockets to come along and do the same thing.

Regardless, as much as I enjoy Spotify and its user interface, I do love reading about a good feud.

 

[1345873]

Great take a rumor for the truth, do not take this site for proper journalism. Not the first time it shows sponsored 'news'.

 

[Stella]

Its their business, they can choose to promote artists how they see fit.

 

[Sefstah]

Or you can just torrent music for free...

 

[joshen]

Cue the 'free market', 'their choice', 'they can do whatever they want' comments. Oh wait the article is about Spotify's practices not Apple's

 

[2457248]

ok, apparently exclusives are a big thing.
i wish spotify focused more on bringing advanced, futuristic features to its software, like the ability to rate your songs.