We don’t know about you, but at Soundiiz, we’re amazed by the ability of streaming platforms to systematically innovate. When we think we’ve reached a glass ceiling and nothing more can be changed, the news proves us wrong. Such is the case this week, with the arrival of Music Pro, a new offering from Spotify, scheduled for the end of the year. Spotify’s Music Pro: What is it, and what are its features? And what can be its consequences?
We’ll tell you all about it!
Spotify’s Music Pro: why?
It’s no secret that streaming platforms are facing increased competition and seeing their subscriber numbers stagnate. Predictions are that a glass ceiling will soon be reached. Most streaming services can’t count on rapid increases in potential customers yet to be convinced. On the contrary, they must nurture their customer base and keep them in the ecosystem. After years of rapid growth, the strategy is to build customer loyalty. However, the challenge is enormous when you consider how volatile customers can be, especially in the context of an exploding offer. It’s a fact: today, almost everyone listens to music using a streaming service. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, or TIDAL, to name but a few.
What’s the solution for continuing to win market share? No more and no less than to win back customers from the competition. And to do that, you have to innovate. Again and again. Be at the cutting edge of technology. Evolve your algorithms. Improve ergonomics and offer clarity. Compete on price, at a time when almost all platforms have increased their monthly rates. Launch international marketing campaigns – Spotify Wrapped is a good example – and feed customers’ thirst for novelty. They are insatiable and able to switch from one platform to another. With Soundiiz’s Transfer tool, you can transfer all your playlists, saved songs, and favorite artists from one platform to another in just a few minutes, making it easier than ever to switch to Spotify’s Music Pro if it better meets your needs.
There are no real barriers to change: anything is possible. You also need to position yourself as a media or cultural hub. Apple Music has done very well by extending its field of activity to more than just “simple” music streaming.
Numerous challenges
After years of growth, streaming platforms are now facing a multitude of challenges. The need to differentiate from competitors has never been more crucial. Especially with the rising popularity of YouTube Music and Amazon Music. The competition is fierce, and platforms like Spotify are constantly striving to stand out in this crowded market.
For Spotify, differentiation means first and foremost, a massive investment, which they have made in areas such as their algorithm and podcasts. This has given them a significant competitive edge over Apple Music, Deezer and others. They want to target “Super Fans,” users who are not just casual listeners but highly engaged with the platform, their favorite artists, and the music industry. But they know, now that the competition has also positioned itself in this niche, that they need to go further.
Going further means rethinking their offer, adding new features, and doing Premium with Premium. We will explain it all to you.
Spotify’s Music Pro: what is it, and what are its features?
Let’s get the non-technical details out of the way right away. Spotify’s Music Pro should be available by the end of 2025, and is advertised at a price of $6. This additional cost will be added to the Premium option you have chosen. When you consider that a simple Premium offer already costs $12, this is a not-considerable surcharge. However, for this extra cost, you’ll get access to high-quality audio, advanced concert ticket options, and more, making it a potentially worthwhile investment for serious music enthusiasts.
With its Music Pro offer, Spotify has responded to the main criticism leveled by its detractors. The impossibility, until now, of listening to music in high audio quality. Apple Music, TIDAL, and Deezer compete in this niche, overshadowing Spotify for years. By satisfying its audiophile customers, Spotify can make a big splash. Will this win over users of Apple Music or Deezer? Of course, it’s too early to say, until we’ve tested Music Pro’s HD offering with high-quality speakers or headphones. But it’s a step inthe right direction.
Live experience!
Spotify also intends to expand into the concert arena, which it has already begun to exploit by teaming up with the Bands In Town service. Music Pro will enable you to benefit from discounted concert tickets and, above all, advance sales. You cannot be sure you won’t see a Beyoncé concert ticket pass you by, or you won’t be 14587996th in line, but still, it holds great promises.
It’s a smart strategy, both for Spotify and for the artists. Spotify is reinforcing its position as a music streaming platform that can play on the live circuit, thus going beyond the digital format. For artists, it’s a potential way – if the service is up to scratch – of selling more concert tickets to an already captive audience of subscribers. It’s worth remembering that the live circuit is a significant source of revenue for many solo and group artists since music streaming has gained importance and pay-per-stream remains low.
Other features, but for the moment, more of a gimmick: Music Pro will offer an option for remixing certain songs by speeding them up or blending them. In this way, you can play the role of a DJ using Spotify’s Artificial Intelligence. We’re skeptical about this new feature, but it could be a lot of fun!
It should be noted that all these new options will not be directly available but will be added gradually over time. The release date is uncertain: Spotify is in the midst of negotiations with artists’ rights holders to enable them to benefit from this option. Soundiiz will, of course, keep you informed of further developments!
What are the consequences of Spotify’s Music Pro on music streaming?
Following Spotify’s announcement, competitors were quick to react. No surprise there. Apple Music and Amazon Music could be the first to roll out this new type of offer, i.e., Premium for existing Premium customers. However, according to Bloomberg, all this is still unclear, and Spotify is ahead of its competitors. Whether or not Amazon or Apple Music launch their new offers is not the point: it does show that, in the months and years to come, we can expect to pay even more for access to services we haven’t used before. The art of creating a need: a cornerstone of every business strategy!
Major consequences?
As for the industry itself, according to Bloomberg, Spotify has already acquired the rights to Universal and Warner, whose catalog will be available in this new Premium option. Sony is said to be missing for now, but negotiations are reportedly underway. The labels see Music Pro as a godsend: it will generate more revenue, which can then be redistributed and put back into the labels’ coffers. No wonder they’re rubbing their hands: as a market leader, Spotify represents a colossal financial windfall.
It remains to be seen whether this segment of “Super Fans,” which Spotify founder Daniel Ek has been dreaming of conquering for years, will improve the financial condition of the artists listened to on Spotify. This is the biggest challenge facing streaming platforms, which crystallizes most criticism.
Could Music Pro be the solution to these problems? Will it be enough to impact the music streaming industry in the long term? Does the fact that Apple Music, Amazon Music, and other potential platforms are following in Spotify’s footsteps announce a profound upheaval in consumption patterns?
It’s still early, but perhaps we’re at the beginning of something significant, the consequences of which escape us for the moment.
Transfer all your data to Spotify to benefit from Spotify’s Music Pro.
Soundiiz is the ideal companion if you want to take advantage of Spotify’s Music Pro offer. Suppose you’re a user of another music streaming platform. In that case, you can switch from Apple Music to Spotify, YouTube Music to Spotify, Deezer to Spotify, or any other source. Our Transfer tool lets you transfer everything in just a few minutes: your playlists, favorite artists, albums, and more.
It’s the perfect solution if, for example, you want to finally enjoy optimum audio quality on your favorite albums. With the launch of Music Pro, Spotify could become a credible option for audiophiles who, until now, have preferred to use TIDAL, Qobuz, or Apple Music. This segment of users will undoubtedly want to keep everything they’ve spent years building up, and Soundiiz will enable them to make the transition without even realizing it.
To use our Transfer function, click here!
