Journalists ask Daniel Ek: Spotify Supremium, when?
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At a recent event, Spotify hosted journalists to talk about where they are and where they’re going with one big question on everyone’s lips.
Last week, Spotify hosted an ‘Open house’ in Stockholm in which journalists were invited to come and talk about music streaming. Consumers have one big thing that they want to know and journalists were there to say it: When will Spotify launch a “Supremium” tier.
It has been over 4 years since Spotify announced a new tier, offering hi-fi, lossless audio. Since then, rumours have abound about Spotify “Supremium” but still we have nothing. So, what does Daniel Ek have to say about it?
Sadly, his response to any bonus offerings from Spotify were largely vague and Ek quickly redirected to existing products. The line of questioning seemed to focus on how new products will appeal to superfans, rather than a specific line of questioning over the launch of Supremium.
Asked about bringing new features that will connect fans with artists and build communities, Music Ally report that Ek says it’s “incredibly right” that superfans are looking for this. Ek went on: “If you’re an artist and you have a big fanbase, you actually do want to talk to them too. But how do you scale it? And how do you make that so that it’s not then an exclusionary thing?”
Considering the future of features, Ek avoids any specific direction, but praises existing features, saying: “What more things can we do like Fans First that scales, and that provides a great experience for the artist, and provides a great experience for the consumer? That’s how we think.”
So, four years on from the announcement of a new Spotify tier, where are Spotify at? It seems that they are still questioning what exactly a new Spotify tier should look like. Ek adds: “I do agree that the need – the creator need or the artist need – exists. And the consumer need is there too. The question is just how do you create a great experience?”
Research firm MIDiA found that almost three-quarter of US music streaming subscribers that they surveyed are interested in a “Super Premium” plan on music streaming services. What’s more, around 20% of current music subscribers said they would be willing to pay £5.99 more for the benefits.
It is a clear desire for consumers and an easy source of extra revenue for streaming services. So, why are we still waiting after four years for a new tier from Spotify? It may be partly down to one of it’s biggest potential selling points: Hi-Fi lossless audio streaming.
When Spotify announced their new tier with Hi-Fi audio playback in 2021, Apple Music added Hi-Fi listening tier as a free bonus to its listeners shortly after. This was quite clearly Spotify’s blocker, and since then they haven’t worked out how to ask consumers to pay more when one of the most valued features is free with competitors.
However, the social element is largely untapped in the West. While companies like Tencent have a large focus on implementing social features into their music services to success in China, Western streamers have avoided social features.
As Ek says though, the idea that fans want ways to connect with their favourite artists is “incredibly right”. Unfortunately, the question still remains as to when we will see these new features.