Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Spotify Stream On: event highlights

Investor Discussion Spotify Stream On
  • Plans Spotify HiFi tier (CD quality, lossless audio format) 2021 in select markets, to partner with speaker manufacturers
  • Plans geo expansion to 85 new markets (36 languages) to reach 1b potential subs in >180 countries
  • Total royalties pay-out 2020 $5b; released 1.8b albums in US in 2020; adds 60k tracks daily
  • Podcasts
    • ordered podcast series Renegades: Born in the USA (Barack Obama + Bruce Springsteen, 8 episodes)
    • orders exclusive podcasts from Anthony & Joe Russo’s AGBO prodco
    • orders podcast from Ava DuVerna
    • ordered new season of podcast series Tell Them, I Am (Higher Ground)
    • to add interactivity (polls, Q&A)
    •  to trial paid podcast subscriptions using Anchor podcast creation tool, hosts can charge 3, 5 or 8 $/mo with Spotify taking small share
    • to expand video podcasts;
  • Advertising
    • plans Spotify Audience Network: audio ad marketplace for originals, exclusives, podcasts, ad-supported music (via Megaphone (Streaming Ad Insertion (SAI) tech, currently in US, Canada, UK, DE) & creation tool Anchor (podcast creation app, partners with Wordpress to turn text into audio, add video to podcasts))
    • to offer podcasts on Spotify Ad Studio (self-serve ad platform, currently in 22 markets), first for originals & exclusives in US (beta), to add 3rd-party podcasts
  • Launches creator tools
    • expands Marquee (allows artists to promote new releases through full-screen sponsored recommendations) to include self-serve buying experience for artists (allows their teams to book campaigns), first in US, Canada (summer 2021 in UK, IE, ANZ)
    • launches Discovery Mode (audience development tool, beta; select music artist teams want to prioritize for discovery)
    • expands Canvas to all artists, adds 25 languages

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