Spotify Ideas

[#1]

I know streaming doesn't hurt sales but a few labels and artists still have doubts. A few examples: Taylor Swift, The Black Keys and I know you can name a few more. Result: lots of bad press and frustrated Spotify users. 

How about this solution?

• Release the album on Spotify as a Premium exclusive
• Show Free users buttons to buy the album or upgrade to Premium
• Reward the artists with $10 for every user who upgrades to premium because of his/her album.

Expected result: Label happy (more sales), Spotify happy (more Premium subscribers), Premium users happy (more music), artists happy (more money).

This is what it could look like:

But I'm sure you can can up with a better looking option.

[#2]

This feature already exists in some way, but not completely as you mentioned.

If you are an artist who like to make premium-only assets, get here

http://www.spotify.com/work-with-us/artists/

[#3]

Thans Krikelin. Strange I had to set up u new username to login again,

On topic: I'm not an artist.

I know about Premium Exclusives. but so far I have only seen these as prereleases. That is not my point. I suggested this for labels that window releases and keep new releases off Spotify for a couple of months. This gives Spotify bad press and disappointed customers. That is what needs to stop IMHO.

Just read http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2012/121024bigmachine

A delayed release is not visible on Spotify. That  drives Spofity users to other services be it legal or illegal. This can be solved by showing the release as a Premium Exclusive and giving Free users the option to buy the album right within Spotify.(or upgrade)

BTW If it is so easy to get a Premium Exclusive why did Spotify refuse to release Adele's 21 as a Premium Exclusive a year ago? 

[#4]

We upload albums that are provided to us, rather than choose to hold certain albums back. If you want a little more clarifaction on why some albums are not available on Spotify, click this way. 

[#5]

Thanks David. I know that  Spotify is not to blame.  The purpose of my idea is to make it more attractive for labels to have all new releases on Spotify. All that Spotify has to do is offer labels a Premium Exclusive release together with a "buy the album" option for the Free users. You know that some labels and artists still feel that a releasing on Spotify is like giving music away for free,  We both know that is not the case but like you convert Free users to Premium users, you may convert anti-Spotify labels and artists to pro-Spotify this way. This will stop the fear for cannibalism i hope.  

[#6]

Wouldn't the danger be that everyone would want their content to be Premium-Exclusive? 

[#7]

Of course, but you can keep it limited to a few months Premium Exclusive of course and maybe offer this to small labels only. Somehow big labels don't have that much against  releasing new albums on Spotify. I can only guess why ;) 

Personally I wouldn't object a system where all new releases are for paying users only. That may also increase conversion to Premium and if Free users have the option to buy the album your MP3 download shop could do better en even better if you lower the prices. Your former partner 7Digital sells new albums for €5! Why don't you?

Doesn't Spotify have the weirdest downloadshop of them all? You can only buy songs that you can stream. already. 

I understand my plan has some disadvantages like every change but I feel the advantages outweigh them. 

[#8]

The policy that Spotify sticks to is not to have any content that is Premium-only, except for occasional Premium exclusives, and pre-releases.

>> Of course, but you can keep it limited to a few months Premium Exclusive of course

The maximum for these is 2-3 weeks at most.

>> Doesn't Spotify have the weirdest downloadshop of them all? You can only buy songs that you can stream. already

The only tracks that are available to buy are those that are available for streaming.

It's not hard to work out the probable motivation behind these policies.

[#9]

I know it requires a change of policy. It may not be easy but that doesn't make it impossible.

You make me feel like I'm dealing with a record label ;) 

[#10]

I wasn't suggesting that it couldn't be done merely because it would require a change of policy. The issue is what kinds of negative effects that change of policy would have, if implemented.

[#11]

What negative effects do you see? The most important one I can think of is that all labels would wan't their new releases to be Premium exclusive for a few months. Thus making the service a little less attractive to free users?  I can live with that personally. The positive effect is that it would dramatically improve Spotify for Premium users. Spotify may have more new releases than it has now.

The fact that releases like i.e. The Black Keys - El Camino and Taylor Swift - Red or not on Spotify annoys Premium users and gives Spotify lots of bad publicity. If you could get these releases in by implementing my idea I feel the positive effects outweigh the negatives ones.

Just look at how the new Windows 8 Xbox Music streaming service does this. Both The Black Keys - El Camino and Taylor Swift - Red are available for Free users, be it as 30 sec previews but still you can it least find these albums in the service and buy them if you feel like it.

Now go to Spotify. These albums are no where to be found, leaving your users puzzled. What is their next move?  They shut down Spotify are frustated and you can only guess where they go next. Making the album visible in Spotify with a little 'call to action' like buy or upgrade would help a lot., I'm sure.

And you don't have to implement this right away. Why not try it out with a few albums to see if it works.