Adele plans to keep her long-awaited new album off all streaming services, according to reports on Thursday.
According to New York Times sources, the songstress has decided not to make ’25’ available to the likes of Spotify and Apple Music at this time.
Instead, the full-length LP will only be available to paid download and physical media customers when it is released on Friday.
In recent weeks, speculation has been rife as to which streaming services the Londoner would embrace.
The most recent speculation suggested that subscription-only platforms like Apple Music would be granted the new record, while those with free-to-play options would not.
However, according to three people supposedly “with direct knowledge of the release plans” there’ll be a streaming blackout. A spokesperson for the singer has refused to comment.
See also: Is YouTube Music a Spotify killer?
The decision wouldn’t be a huge surprise, given Adele’s new album is being released by XL Recordings, a vocal critic of the new streaming-centric landscape.
The album is expected to be one of the best selling of all time, with 2.5m copies expected to be shifted in the first week.
Despite being widely available on streaming services, ‘Hello,’ the first single from ’25’ set a record for first week download sales, racking up over a million units.
Will Adele’s reported decision bring you back to paid downloads? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.