Spotify users should brace themselves next year. Large price hikes are expected, and probably not only for this streamer…
According to a report from Headphonesty, an insider claims that prices for the music streaming service will rise sharply in 2026 — making Spotify the most expensive player in the market. The article cites a statement from new Spotify CEO Alex Norström in The Financial Times, in which he confirms that price increases are now part of the company’s business strategy.
At the same time, other music streaming services will also be unable to avoid raising their prices. The reason lies with the major record conglomerates — Sony, Universal, and Warner — which together control around 70% of the global market. They reportedly observed that video streaming services charge significantly higher prices and believe that music streaming should be brought in line.
Trouble Ahead?
Global growth in music revenues is stagnating, raising the question of whether rising subscription prices are actually the cause. If that’s true, the industry could be heading toward a repeat of the CD era, when soaring prices drove consumers toward illegal file sharing. And with modern internet speeds, sharing music files illegally is easier than ever — and can be done within encrypted, closed-off environments.
In short: Is the greed of the major record labels about to cause another major self-inflicted crisis?