this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2026
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Spotify’s 3rd price hike in 2.5 years hints at potential new normal (arstechnica.com)
submitted 22 hours ago by Powderhorn@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org
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I don't understand subscribing to music. Maybe it's just my age, but this isn't the '90s where you hear a track you like and that one song is going to run you $20 at Tower Records. I like a song, I pay $1.29 and then it's stored locally. Also cuts way down on data usage while driving. I struggle to get anywhere close to my 5GB data allowance.

After a dozen years of keeping subscription prices stable, Spotify has issued three price hikes in 2.5 years.

Spotify informed subscribers via email today that Premium monthly subscriptions would go from $12 to $13 per month as of users’ February billing date. Spotify is already advertising the higher prices to new subscribers.

Although not explicitly mentioned in Spotify’s correspondence, other plans are getting more expensive, too. Student monthly subscriptions are going from $6 to $7. Duo monthly plans, for two accounts in the same household, are going from $17 to $19, and Family plans, for up to six users, are moving from $20 to $22.

Spotify’s Basic plan, which is only available as a downgrade for some Premium subscribers and is $11/month, is unaffected.

For years, Spotify subscribers enjoyed stable prices, but today’s announcement marks Spotify’s third price hike since July 2023. Spotify last raised prices in July 2024. Premium individual subscriptions went from $11 to $12, Duo subscriptions went from $15 to $17, and Family subscriptions increased from $17 to $20.

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[–] bootstrap@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 12 hours ago

Thats correct, streaming is not the problem. Streaming is just a technology. The companies are the problem.

Record companies dont walk in to spotify HQ and say "give me this much for this artist". Spotify has a very specific payment model that fucks over small artists.

There are also many labels made by artists that are great and really support their artists so your point doesnt really work.

None of this is even touching on how spotify fills its curated playlists with slop so it doesnt have to pay as much royalties or how the only way it can make more money and appease shareholders is by constantly squeezing the consumer and charging more like this article. They have nothing innovating to offer to justify their price hikes.

I love streaming, I think it is incredibly convenient and effective for listening to music. I do not love companies that take an amazing technology and exploit it to destroy an industry that is already struggling in the name of profit.

Support your favourite artists directly or switch to other less scummy streaming services is my opinion. Spotify is destined to fail anyway or at least mutate into a "top 40" only platform with how many artists are leaving.