The historical agreement between Spotify and Universal promises a ‘streaming 2.0’. But we have already seen changes of this type

“The next era of streaming innovation.” According to the words of those involvedthat is where the agreement that Universal Music Group and Spotify have reached. This is an agreement that will cover several of the next few years and that will affect both the recordings and the artists’ royalties. It is the first step towards what both companies want to baptize as “era of streaming 2.0”

The agreements come back. The pact is remarkable for many reasons, but above all because it is the first Spotify agreement with a multinational industry in several years. It is also commented to improve the conditions of payments to artists, which Since April last year They went down because of a platform rate in the United States oriented to audiobook lovers. Taking advantage of a 2023 lawthis rate allowed the company to pay less Royalties To the composers, which unleashed a sour response from the musical community. This covenant with Universal seems to want to solve some of the problems of that rate, but not just that.

Spotify for Superfans. The idea of ​​’streaming 2.0′ It is not new, of courseand Universal has been caressing her for a while, but this seems to be the first firm step towards her. What could be realized? This “Spotify for Superfans” terminology is as the Verge defines The spotify that we are going to have (or part of it, at least) and that will take shape after the agreement. When Universal talked about this ‘streaming 2.0’ I thought, According to your presentationin “Super-Premium” subscriptions that grant advantages such as anticipated access to music, exclusive luxury editions, high-resolution audio and artists’ questions and answers.

Further streaming that never. This ‘streaming 2.0’ consists of taking the technological capacity of the platforms one step further to offer extras to consumers. This translates into the need for these platforms to reach treatment with Majorsbecause they are the ones who will provide better quality audio, associated videos, extras to which no one has access, exclusive content of artists … that, or for discounted, that the large companies themselves melt their services of streamingas we have seen that happened in the audiovisual after the outbreak of Netflix. Are Spotify following its same steps?

But … makes sense? We have heard similar ideas with the streaming audiovisual. In fact, that support in the “extras” is one of the differentiating cuddles of Prime Video, which with its “X-rays” provides information, trivia, filmographies and even possibilities of e-commerce of the content of their films and series. However, no one would say that it is one of the tricks that puts prime video above its rivals, but an anecdotal added. These are times when the catalog rules: people subscribe and quickly unless platforms in search of content to consume, and do it all the time. The extras are an appetizing gift, but … is that the base of the streaming of the future?

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