Spotify Readies Premium Tier With Hi-Fi Audio and AI Features

Spotify users waiting to learn when the service's long-delayed high-quality premium audio service will materialize may finally have something to chew on. Bloomberg reports that the streaming service hopes to roll out a new "Music Pro" tier later this year.

General Spotify Feature
The company is said to be developing the new premium subscription plan that will cost up to $5.99 per month on top of existing plans, offering high-quality audio streaming, remixing capabilities, and exclusive concert ticket access, reports the outlet.

Pricing and timing have yet to be nailed down as Spotify works to secure necessary rights from major music companies. The additional fee is likely to vary by region, with lower prices planned for "developing markets," said the publication.

The new tier is said to include AI-powered features allowing subscribers to mix songs from different artists. Spotify is also exploring various concert ticket sales strategies such as pre-sale access and premium seating options through discussions with major promoters and ticket vendors.

The new tier comes as Spotify looks to diversify its revenue streams and target devoted music fans who regularly spend money on merchandise, concerts, and fan clubs, according to the report. The company apparently believes the enhanced tier could attract millions of subscribers, despite the higher price point.

Development of the additional tier has been in the works for several years, coming after recent price increases for existing subscriptions and the introduction of audiobook offerings. Spotify previously announced plans for a Hi-Fi tier in February 2021, but a launch never materialized, even as rivals Apple Music and Amazon Music Unlimited began offering high-quality audio streaming within their standard subscriptions.

Given the progress of its competitors, Spotify's paid-for "Music Pro" tier will need to be a more comprehensive offering that goes beyond just improved audio quality and some AI-produced playlists. What's actually offered remains to be seen.

Tag: Spotify

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Top Rated Comments

Techwatcher Avatar
9 months ago

Apple Music competition just got a lot of bigger. Only reason I have Apple Music is for Hi-Fi
No it didn’t. Both Apple Music and Tidal now offer HiFi in the base tier, while Spotify delays release so they can find a way to convince people to pay for a feature that is now free on competitive platforms.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Frankied22 Avatar
9 months ago
And here I am coming out the other end of this spectrum...I couldn't care less about FLAC or Hi-Res Lossless audio. I used to be one of the audiophiles touting the superiority of FLAC and above quality. It turns out, it really is just snake oil and placebo. I have spent countless hours A/B testing all kinds of music across various streaming services and my own FLAC collection, with all kinds of different headphones and speakers. What I can tell you without a doubt is this: almost every person cannot tell the difference between 256 AAC or 130 OPUS and FLAC or Hi-Res Lossless. All of this HiFi audio marketing is just that - marketing. The vast majority of people are listening to music over bluetooth either in wireless buds or in their car (neither of which can transmit FLAC or higher). Not to mention you wouldn't even hear the supposed differences while driving down the road in a car or walking around with buds in. Just put on regular quality and enjoy your music, and more importantly, enjoy using less data and taking us less storage if you are downloading. A song in FLAC is around 38 mb while an AAC or OPUS song is like 5 mb. The data savings is insane and you CANNOT tell the difference in audio quality, at all.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
9 months ago
HiFi good

AI features ... "meh" ... to each their own

Spotify seems to have an end game wish of folks just opening the App and hitting "play" with no care or thought

That's not how I personally like to relate to music and artists, but again, to each our own
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
STOCK411 Avatar
9 months ago
I will believe it when i see it. They have said it would he released “this year” for the past 20 years. And yet they never lived up to that promise
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
racerhomie Avatar
9 months ago
Spotify hasn’t even launched AirPlay 2 support even though they promised it for 4+ years.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
foobarbaz Avatar
9 months ago

and they were like "damn! Now we can't go ahead"
and then: “thank God for the AI hype. Now we can slap that on to justify the price.”
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)