Spotify has once again drawn the ire of the music industry. The National Music Publishers' Association has called on the Federal Trade Commission to examine the streaming service's addition of audiobook content into all of its paid subscription plans. According to the group's FTC complaint, Spotify's recent actions are part of "a scheme to increase profits by deceiving consumers and cheating the music royalty system." This requires some backstory. In November 2023, Spotify announced that it would include 15 hours of audiobook content as part of all its Premium subscription plans. A few months later, the company unveiled a new audiobook-only subscription, offering the same number of listening hours for $10 a month. The publishers' organization claims that Spotify's recent price increases are based on offering that extra audiobook content, and that paying customers are automatically being charged for a service they didn't choose and can't opt out of without switching to the free, ad-supported listening experience. And the additional revenue from the higher Premium subscription costs may not go to the music composers. According to the FTC complaint, Spotify will pay about $150 million less in music royalties over the first year of these new bundled Premium plans. The NMPA letter goes so far as to call the new audiobook-only plan "a sham" that "exists solely to allow Spotify to claim that audiobook content is a significantly and independently valuable aspect of its 'bundled'... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2024-06-12 23:52:55 UTC ]
The actor Michelle Williams reads the audiobook version of the recently liberated pop star’s memoir, “The Woman in Me.” Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-10-24 21:32:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Britney Spears said that 'reliving everything' in her memoir, 'The Woman in Me,' has been 'heart-wrenching,' so she's only recording an intro for the audiobook. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-10-13 17:27:42 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The industry body says the music giant’s move to make more than 150,000 titles available has not been discussed with authors and may compete with salesThe Society of Authors (SoA) has said it is “deeply concerned” about Spotify’s new audiobook provision. The industry body cited “the devastating... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-10-11 15:40:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this
It’s both strange and enlightening to move through the world with an author’s voice filling your ears. Continue reading at New Yorker
[ New Yorker | 2023-10-11 10:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
From Hamlet to The Princess Bride to audiobook narration, here are the bookish roles Mandy Patinkin has taken on in his storied career. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-10-10 10:32:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
This is the most familiar thing in the world, the engineer’s voice in my headphones, me in the sound booth, him at the board. I’ve spent hundreds of hours in recording studios, tracking drums, and I’m accustomed to taking direction and criticism: you were dragging behind the click; your energy... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-10-04 08:35:37 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Ek blames Apple for holding back his company’s first foray into audiobooks and confirms his company is in talks with Google about in-app purchases. Spotify is doubling down on audiobooks: Paying subscribers of the music service will now have access to up to 15 hours of audiobook listening as... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2023-10-03 16:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The private equity firm KKR has completed its sale of audiobook publisher RBmedia to investment firm H.I.G. Capital and private equity firm Francisco Partners. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Not all international audiobook markets are evolving at the same pace, according to speakers at the second online Frankfurt Rights Meeting. The post Frankfurt Rights Meeting 2: Developments in Audio appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-09-16 00:02:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Kate Winkler Dawson’s audiobook original reveals the origins of a society of occult-obsessed supernaturalists that included Dickens, Doyle, Yeats and more. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-08-18 09:00:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this
When asked to narrate an audiobook of machine-generated verse, Mr. Herzog readily agreed. “I wasn’t the best choice,” he said. “I was the only choice.” Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-08-14 09:00:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Actor Christine Baranski and New York Times theater critic Jesse Green join host Jo Reed in a special bonus edition of Behind the Mic. The two teamed up to create the audiobook of Shy: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers, written by Mary Rodgers and Jesse Green. Mary Rodgers was the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-08-11 08:22:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this
These video game and audiobook pairings complement each other for the ideal playing and listening experience. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-08-10 10:34:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
If your fingers are itching to put together a puzzle and you're delighted by bookish things, get into these bookish jigsaw puzzles.- Jamie Canaves Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-08-07 10:31:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The seven-year-old Seattle-based Libro.fm opens a Bookshop.org-style audiobook-selling service in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The post Libro.fm Opens, Audiobook Sales Through Local Bookstores appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-07-26 13:34:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this
In what is likely a record price for an audiobook publisher, KKR, the private equity firm that owns RBmedia—and a rumored contender to buy S&S—is selling the company for an alleged $1 billion sum. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
This week's best tech deals include a couple of all-time lows on older but still worthwhile Apple gadgets, with the 9th-gen iPad on sale for $250 and the M1-powered MacBook Air available for $750. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a solid value for those in need of a cheap media streamer at... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-07-21 15:15:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amazon Prime Day 2023 is almost here, but you can still snag some early deals before the two-day shopping event begins in earnest. We've rounded up the best early Prime Day deals we can find below. Remember that you'll need to subscribe to Prime to take advantage of many (but not all) of the... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-07-10 18:45:44 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amazon Prime Day 2023 is a few days away on July 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to get a good deal. The company has started to roll out a few early Prime Day deals before the two-day shopping event officially commences, including, as expected, several discounts on its own devices... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-07-09 13:05:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amazon Prime Day 2023 is a few days away on July 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to get a good deal. The company has started to roll out a few early Prime Day deals before the two-day shopping event officially commences, including, as expected, several discounts on its own devices... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-07-07 14:29:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this