Spotify Newsletter #104

Your Weekly Dose of Spotify News

Apr 08, 2022

Hello! Thanks for reading the latest issue of the Spotify Newsletter!

My interest in the Duchess of Sussex and her hubby is a resounding zero. But she does have this new Spotify podcast forthcoming - on the heels of their obscene, overpaid deal with the audio giant.

Well, it’s coming to the airwaves one way or another, so I did clutter today’s news rundown with a humorous note about her desire to trademark a specific word. It’s ridiculous, totally on-brand and worth a look (I guess).

In other news, three democrats in Congress with plenty of time on their hands are unhappy with Spotify over the company’s policy of promoting an artist’s music on its Discovery Mode platform in exchange for a reduced royalty rate. Nobody tell Neil Young, he might threaten to add his music back and take it off all over again.

After a few paragraphs of describing the over-baked outrage coming from our elected officials, Variety does everyone a favor and adds…

To be fair, the program is essentially no different from traditional brick-and-mortar promotional campaigns whereby record companies pay retailers for premium store-display placement for their CDs and vinyl; and unlike those programs, Spotify is at least upfront about the advance-royalty-payment aspect of Discovery Mode. The company emphasizes that the program requires no up-front costs, although it is still a method whereby artists or labels pay for better placement, with hit-or-miss results.

At least the author showed the bravery to ‘be fair.’ 😀

★In the SPOTlight★

⭐️ Spotify is testing a way to promote popular user-created playlists

Spotify is testing a new “Featured Curators” feature that promotes popular user playlists alongside its official Spotify playlists, the company announced on Monday. The new feature is part of a limited-time test that is designed to amplify the playlists that users create on Spotify. The feature is also a way for listeners to discover more music on the platform.

⭐️ Spotify’s Car Thing Device Debuts New Features

With these updates, you’ll now be able to answer phone calls on Car Thing, queue songs and podcasts, and display and control other media. Car Thing also connects to and now mirrors your phone, giving you access to more functionality.

⭐️ Harry Styles’ ‘As It Was’ Breaks Spotify Single-Day Streaming Record

Spotify confirmed that "As It Was" is now the most-streamed song in the United States in a single day.

⭐️ Parcast Union Reaches Tentative Deal on First Contract With Management, Spotify

The agreement seemingly averts a threatened strike, but now the bargaining unit and the Writers Guild of America, East Council must approve its terms.

⭐️ FC Barcelona Members Overwhelmingly Approve ‘At Least’ 12-Season Sponsorship Deal With Spotify

The Barcelona Members Assembly has officially ratified the multiyear pact.
The audio-entertainment platform relayed that the 123-year-old soccer club (known colloquially as Barça) would rename its famed stadium Spotify Camp Nou – provided that members signed off on the plans.