Spotify Reveals Music Pro Delays—Labels Still Missing Key Deals
By Trevor Loucks
Founder & Lead Developer, DynamoiTrevor Loucks is the founder and lead developer of Dynamoi, where he leads coverage at the convergence of music business strategy and advertising technology. He focuses on applying the latest ad-tech techniques to artist and record label campaigns so they compound downstream music royalty growth. trevorloucks.com
Spotify's long-awaited Music Pro superfan tier faces new obstacles as CEO Daniel Ek revealed the company still needs "partners to come to the table" during an executive briefing at the Stockholm headquarters yesterday.
The $18-per-month tier was expected to launch in 2025 with early concert tickets, AI remix tools, and hi-res audio, but licensing gaps with major rights holders continue to delay rollout.
Why it matters:
The superfan economy represents streaming's next growth frontier as platform subscriber growth slows.
- Revenue potential: Goldman Sachs projects $4.5 billion superfan market opportunity by 2030.
- Industry pressure: Universal and Warner already renewed Spotify deals expecting higher-tier launches.
- Competition risk: Apple and Amazon exploring similar premium offerings for 2025.
Between the lines:
Ek's comments signal ongoing negotiations with Sony Music and independent distributors remain unresolved.
"We're not dependent on it for growth, but we want to make it happen," Ek said, downplaying the timeline pressure while emphasizing strategic importance.
The hesitation reflects deeper industry tensions about who controls superfan monetization—platforms or artists directly.
What superfans actually want
Ek acknowledged that while Spotify focuses on hi-res audio and tickets, superfans prioritize artist access and community features.
"If you're an artist and you have a big fanbase, you actually do want to talk to them too," he said, hinting at scaled communication tools beyond current offerings.
The AI reality check:
Artist and industry partnerships head Bryan Johnson dismissed AI music fears, stating Spotify sees "infinitely small consumption of fully AI-generated tracks."
"There is no dilution of the royalty pool by AI music," Johnson added, contradicting industry concerns about synthetic content flooding platforms.
Ek took a philosophical stance on AI creativity, comparing it to video generation tools and questioning traditional definitions of artistry.
By the numbers:
- $5.99 additional monthly cost for Music Pro tier over $11.99 Premium
- 20-30% of subscribers expected to upgrade within 2-3 years (UMG projection)
- 263 million current Premium subscribers globally as of Q4 2024
- 13% potential streaming revenue uplift by 2030 from superfan monetization
What's next:
Rights holder negotiations
Sony Music remains the largest holdout for Music Pro licensing, with independent distributors also requiring new agreements for remix features.
Competitor responses
Apple Music and Amazon Music are developing rival superfan offerings, potentially launching before Spotify if licensing resolves faster.
Wrapped 2025 pressure
CPO Gustav Söderström admitted 2024's Wrapped faced unprecedented criticism despite record engagement, promising "the best it's ever been" for 2025.
The bottom line:
Spotify's superfan strategy faces the same challenge plaguing streaming for years—getting all stakeholders aligned on value distribution.
Until labels agree on superfan economics, artists and managers should develop direct-to-fan strategies independent of platform tiers.
