Anastasia Quinn’s Post

On... the delicate power balance between Spotify and Universal Music Group (and why UMG might end up turning the screw on Spotify's free tier). MBW Reacts is a series of analytical commentaries from Music Business Worldwide written in response to major recent entertainment events or news stories... #Musicbusiness #musicindustry #musicnews #Spotify #universalmusicgroup

"According to new figures published in Chartmetric’s Year in Music report for 2023, only 19.16% of artists on Spotify had over one thousand monthly listeners in 2023. To flip that stat on its head, around 81% of artists on Spotify had fewer than 1,000 monthly listeners in 2023, according to Chartmetric’s data... This means that, according to Chartmetric’s reported monthly listener stats for Spotify for 2023, approximately 7.9 million artists on the streaming platform had fewer than 1,000 monthly listeners in 2023, while just over 1.8 million had more than 1,000 monthly listeners on the platform last year." Thanks so much Music Business Worldwide (MBW) for sharing these exciting insights from our latest Year In Music Report! Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/du-Zrcdi #musicindustry #musicindustrynews #musicbusiness #musicnews #musictech #streaming #spotify

Two Billion Music Streaming Consumers? Universal Music Group thinks that's possible. They're predicting 1B by 2028 (as is Goldman Sachs, it's worth noting). We're exactly 2/3 of the way there, with 667M globally. That's astonishing. Ten years ago, Spotify had launched in the US three years earlier - and they were stuck under 15M premium subscribers worldwide. Since 2014 the growth has been exponential. We talk about Spotify like it's proxy for all streaming, but its not. Apple Music & Amazon Music together have a quarter of the western market share. Gaana in India has over 200M. Tencent in China. There are many others in local territories. The next phase of growth will be fragmented among these services and it will come in non-western territories. That will make the ecosystem bigger, but also more complicated. Lucian Grange is now touting 2B. Why not? #musicindustry #musicbusiness #streaming #Spotify #DSPs

🎶 The Twisted Irony: Down Goes Frazier, A Streaming Platform Surpasses the Record Label Giant 🎶 In a surprising twist of fate, Spotify, the streaming platform once seen as a disruptor to the music industry, has overtaken Universal Music Group (UMG) as the most valuable music company. As of July 2024, Spotify’s market cap surged to an impressive $62.5 billion, surpassing UMG’s $53.7 billion. This shift underscores a profound and somewhat twisted irony: the traditional record label, once the unchallenged titan of the music world, is no longer the top dog. Instead, a digital platform that was initially criticized for upending the traditional music revenue model now leads the industry in value. It's a stark reflection of how much the music landscape has changed. Record labels like UMG were once the gatekeepers of the industry, controlling artist careers and the distribution of music. They dictated terms, from royalties to album releases, and were the ultimate power brokers. But the rise of streaming flipped this model on its head. Spotify, despite facing harsh criticism for its impact on artists' earnings and being at the center of heated debates over fair pay, has managed to reshape how music is consumed. The platform's algorithm-driven playlists, personalized recommendations, and vast music library have become the new standard. In doing so, Spotify not only survived the backlash but thrived, growing into a behemoth that now dictates the terms of engagement in the music industry. The irony is thick: the very platform accused of devaluing music has now become more valuable than the companies that produce it. It’s a testament to the power of innovation and a reminder that in the digital age, those who adapt quickly can end up redefining the industry. The top spot in the music world no longer belongs to a record label—it belongs to a tech company. As we navigate this new era, it's clear that the rules have changed. The question now is: how will traditional players like UMG continue to adapt in a world where technology, rather than tradition, leads the way? -Jay #MusicIndustry #DigitalDisruption #Streaming #Spotify #UMG #Innovation #TechLeadership #MusicBusiness #IndustryShift #AdaptOrDie

Spotify is a $60B music streaming leader with 615 million monthly active users.  Founder and CEO, Daniel Ek shared why he doesn’t worry about competition from Google and Apple. He shares 2 of his secret tools that helped him succeed: 1. Focus "We had this discussion before, we're specialized, we don't do anything other than our own service. Apple and Google does this and about 10,000 other things. I think there's something huge in terms of that focus because it brings clarity. This is all I do every day I don't invest in other companies, I just focus on building this company, and you know we think by that focus in the thousands,  if not millions of hours, that we produce in just creating that experience we will win." 2. Speed "The way you win in this fast-moving world where honestly it's moving faster and faster by the day and there's so much innovation around the world, the only way you can win is by being super focused on solving one problem better than anyone else and by moving faster than everyone else in solving that problem. It's really simple if you think about it like that and I like to think that it doesn't matter how many smart Mensa people you have in your company, sooner or later you're gonna get defocused if you do 1,000 things and you can't do all thousand things super well." Do you use Spotify? If yes, why, if no, why not?

Spotify’s secret to always be on the top in 15 years (a case study) Nothing beats Spotify in music streaming, but The product faced double threat in 2008: 1. User base booming at an unexpected rate 2. Rapidly evolving music industry And they had two choices: → Either to be responsive or to die in the market. They chose the first. To be responsive, they used scrum-based agile methodology to build their product which delivers: — Development in short, sharp sprints — Each sprint focuses on dedicated features — Using user feedback as their guiding force for next sprint The result? Spotify didn’t just have the newest features, But always remained on the top by delivering what its users demanded. Fast forward to 2024: → The music industry has transformed a 1000’s of times → Spotify’s user base has grown to global fanbase → User demands have shifted a 100’s of times Through it all, Spotify remained the chart-topper. Why? Because Product with solid foundations never break when the market changes or scales. If you want to sustain, this is how your product must be ready to pivot and scale with times. That’s what we do at Jalan Technologies, We don’t just build, we engineer for endurance. If you’re ready to make a product that lasts. Let’s talk. Click “Book an appointment” on my profile.

Spotify is a $80B music streaming leader with 640 million monthly active users. Daniel Ek, founder and CEO, shared why he doesn’t worry about competition from Google and Apple. He shares 2 of his secret tools that helped him succeed ↓ 1. Focus "We had this discussion before, we're specialized, we don't do anything other than our own service. Apple and Google does this and about 10,000 other things. I think there's something huge in terms of that focus because it brings clarity. This is all I do every day I don't invest in other companies, I just focus on building this company, and you know we think by that focus in the thousands, if not millions of hours, that we produce in just creating that experience we will win." 2. Speed "The way you win in this fast-moving world where honestly it's moving faster and faster by the day and there's so much innovation around the world, the only way you can win is by being super focused on solving one problem better than anyone else and by moving faster than everyone else in solving that problem. It's really simple if you think about it like that and I like to think that it doesn't matter how many smart Mensa people you have in your company, sooner or later you're gonna get defocused if you do 1,000 things and you can't do all thousand things super well." __ PS: Is Spotify the best app to listen to music? Reply with Yes, or No.

A recent article by Music Business Worldwide highlights the challenges faced by independent artists in the music streaming industry in 2023. Key findings include: ~ Only 19% of artists on Spotify had over 1,000 monthly listeners in 2023, indicating that the vast majority of artists struggle to gain traction and earn meaningful income from streaming. ~ New rules implemented by Spotify further limit the amount of money artists make per stream, making it even harder to achieve financial sustainability through streaming alone. ~ The ever-growing volume of music uploaded to streaming platforms makes it increasingly difficult for artists to stand out and get noticed by listeners. These findings paint a somewhat bleak picture for independent artists, but it's important to remember that there are still ways to succeed in the music industry. Here are a few tips: ~ Focus on building a strong fanbase: This means connecting with your audience on social media, playing live shows, and offering exclusive content to your fans. ~ Diversify your income streams: Don't rely solely on streaming for income. Explore other revenue streams such as merchandise sales, crowdfunding, and sponsorships. ~ Be strategic with your marketing: Use targeted marketing campaigns to reach your ideal audience and promote your music effectively. ~ Network and collaborate with other artists: This can help you expand your reach and gain exposure to new audiences. The music industry is constantly evolving, but by being aware of the challenges and opportunities, independent artists can still find ways to thrive. #indiemusic #musicindustry #streaming #artistdevelopment https://lnkd.in/dutPtAaK

Universal Music Group (UMG) is holding a valuable asset: a 3.27% stake in Spotify, currently worth a whopping $3 billion! Spotify's stock price has skyrocketed in 2024. Selling now could secure a high return on investment for UMG. UMG may prefer to invest in other areas, like music publishing or emerging technologies like Web3 music streaming. Spotify's stock price might fluctuate, potentially impacting the ideal selling time. UMG's overall business goals and future investment plans should be a major consideration. #UMG #Spotify #Streaming #Investment #MusicIndustry https://lnkd.in/dihf5Gyv

Spotify is upping its prices in France because of a new music streaming tax. The tax affects Spotify and other platforms like Deezer and Apple Music, so Spotify's increasing its prices to offset the extra cost. It's a move that shows how streaming services are dealing with changes in regulations while trying to keep their profits steady. #musicindustry #musicbusiness #spotify #france #geeseofwillyp #williampaterson David Philp