Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Spotify set to finally announce a price increase, WSJ reports

Spotify Premium on an iPhone.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

In what only can be described as a Friday afternoon news dump meant to soften the ground before an earnings call the following week, The Wall Street Journal reports that Spotify is about to increase its monthly subscription fee for the first time.

Spotify Premium is set to increase by $1 a month to $11, according the unsourced report. Spotify itself has yet to announce any changes. Spotify has long resisted any price increases, but the move would bring it in line with all of its major competitors, some of which have seen recent increases to that $11 mark.

Recommended Videos

Spotify’s free service presumably will remain unchanged.

A price increase was all but assured by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek during the company’s first-quarter earnings call. “I feel really good about our ability to raise prices over time — that we have that ability,” he said at the time. “And we have lots of data that backs that up. … When the timing’s right, we will raise [rates], and I think that price increase will go down well because we’re delivering a lot of value for our customers.”

The price increase also almost certainly was inevitable due to the fact that Spotify is still seeking to turn a profit (a fact also noted in the WSJ story). The company ended the first quarter with a 156 million-euro operating loss, and a total loss of 239 million euros.

Still up in the air, meanwhile, is whether Spotify is getting any closer to launching its long-awaited hi-fi lossless tier.

Spotify reported having 210 million subscribers to its Premium service as of March 31, 2023, an increase of 15% year over year, so a $1 increase would bring in an additional 200 million euros (and change) in revenue. (Premium also includes the Family Play and Duo Plan.)

Spotify will announce its second-quarter 2023 earnings at 8 a.m. ET on July 25.

Phil Nickinson
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Phil spent the 2000s making newspapers with the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, the 2010s with Android Central and then the…
What is YouTube Premium? Price, content, and more
YouTube Music

When it comes to watching videos on the internet, YouTube is the most common place to do it. That includes everything from entertainment to recordings of work events to the newest music videos and live-streaming conferences. However, while YouTube is free to watch, it does come with a deluge of ads. If you're tired of dealing with ads interrupting your videos, and sitting through them before and after videos, then a YouTube Premium subscription is the option to check out. This eliminates ads while browsing or watching videos.

The YouTube family of products can be a bit confusing, however. In addition to YouTube Premium, there are other paid services like YouTube Music, YouTube TV, and the now-defunct YouTube Go, plus some free movies on YouTube you don't want to miss. But the price for YouTube Premium has changed since it launched, so it's worth taking some time to consider how much you'll be paying and whether it's worth it for you -- or even if you could save some money by using options like the YouTube Premium family plan or the free trial.

Read more
Thousands of users report a Spotify outage this morning
The Spotify app on an iPhone.

If you're craving those sweet Sunday morning tunes, we have bad news: Spotify might not be working for you at the moment. On the morning of Sunday, September 29, users began to report trouble playing their favorite songs and albums. The trouble started just before 11 a.m., and by 12:20 p.m., DownDetector showed more than 40,000 people had reported the music streaming service was out of commission.

At this moment, Spotify hasn't released any statements regarding the outage outside of a 12:14 p.m. alert that said, "We're aware of some issues right now and are checking them out!" Users responded to the message with pleas to restore the service as quickly as possible, with some saying, "I cannot be alone with my thoughts," and others saying ,"The silence is deafening." Keep an eye on the SpotifyCares X account to find out the moment the service goes back online.

Read more
How much is Apple Music, and how can you get it for free?
Apple Music pricing September 2024.

Apple Music has become one of the top music streaming services globally, second only to Spotify, providing subscribers access to over 100 million songs, curated playlists, and exclusive content. Since its launch in 2015, Apple Music has consistently grown its library and features, seamlessly integrating with the broader Apple ecosystem to deliver a high-quality user experience. It has become a popular choice for music lovers and a strong competitor to other streaming platforms.

Apple Music's pricing structure is a crucial part of its market strategy, aiming to balance affordability with its value proposition to attract a wide range of users, catering to individuals, families, and students.

Read more