Spotify has rubbished claims it is planning to ditch its popular ad-supported free service, branding such reports as “totally fake”.
Responding to speculation that the free platform was being killed off in favour of a three-month trial service, Spotify has looked to reassure users that they won’t be forced into forking out for the music streaming service anytime soon.
In a statement sent to 9to5Mac, Spotify’s Director of Communications, Graham James, stated:
It had been claimed that Spotify itself was reluctant to make the change, but had been coming under increased pressure from music labels.
The Digitial Music Times recently cited multiple unnamed industry sources in suggesting labels such as Sony Music and the Universal Music Group had looked to curtail Spotify’s charge-free service.
The labels are reportedly unhappy with the relatively low revenue figures generated by the ad-supported platform, with monetized subscription services being championed.
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Spotify has come under increased pressure on the streaming front recently with the introduction of Tidal.
The Jay Z-owned service offers two subscription plans, a standard model for £10 per month and a high-def version that will set you back £20 every 30 days.
Further streaming competition is expected in the coming months with Apple widely expected to relaunch the Beats Music platform.
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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.
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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.