Spotify Ideas

[#1]

Hi,

this is a idea about a new subscription type for Spotify, that will reduce the problems people have of loosing their favorite music. The subscription, based on Premium is called Spotify Libration. The name 'Liberation' means freedom to use their favorite music. Liberation should cost about 199 SEK per month, but several advantages is bundled to the price.

A user who is subscribed to the Liberation subscription will every month get 20 unique track download bundles. The system will, based on the users preference, propose a selection of songs based on his plays and starred songs each 30 days (or at menu option). The 20 songs will automatically be MP3's and thus the user will never loose his absolute favorites if the label takes it down. Throughout the years, I it seems Spotify has received a high number of users complaining loosing their true favorite songs. It feels not good.

I was in a talk with Swedish Radio about the risk of loosing favorite music in November 22th, 2010, and learned from the discussion with the local consumer experts that there is no gurantee you ever will be supplied with music when subscription to services like this. As people virtually can buy a one year premium account, and two days later get their library of songs deleted without no further possible, it can be real risk to use services like this. You can hear the discussion (in Swedish) here. 

Spotify Liberation is my idea of how this should be resolved. People will pay twice as a premium cost but will get a gurantee that they will keep the music they really desire. The subscription model is similar to eMusic and would be very good addition to the services as the pricing is competetive to the existing services of that kind.  

 I think many people has left because they feel it's not worth the premium costs as they can loose their spotify library any time without any further notice without any right to refund. Even if the radio show said this is legally since the terms of use give spotify rights to change the access and content every time, but it can be very dissatisfying for many customers and may in longe leap lead to leaking of customer since they won't go back.

[#2]

What this boils down to is a price point, ie:

If you are currently a Premium subscriber, you would get 20 downloads for the price of 10

Margins being as thin as they are, I can't see that rate being supportable. I suspect it just wouldn't add up.

I think subscription + downloads deals have been considered in the past (competitors do or have offered them). I'm certainly not going to rule anything out for the future. Bigger discounts would, as usual, have to be negotitated "at source".