Spotify Hits Replay on Price Hikes, Raises Subscription Rates for the Second Time in a Year

Just when you thought your monthly subscription was safe, Spotify has decided to raise prices—again. Starting next month, US subscribers will face higher fees for Premium, Duo and Family plans, marking the second increase within a year.

Beginning in July, Spotify Premium will cost $11.99 per month, up from the previous $10.99. Duo plans will rise by $2 to $16.99 per month and Family plans will see a $3 increase, bringing the total to $19.99 per month.

Spotify justified these increases by stating, "So that we can continue to invest in and innovate on our product features and bring users the best experience, we occasionally update our prices."

The streaming giant is far from alone in this inflationary trend. Major competitors like Netflix, Hulu and Disney Plus have also raised their prices recently, leading many to question the future affordability of streaming services. 

Likewise, for many artists, Spotify's payment model remains a contentious issue. The platform pays royalties based on an artist's share of overall streams, amounting to roughly $0.003 to $0.005 per play, not enough for the overwhelming majority of artists to sustain a living wage.

Ironically, the company's announcement comes at a controversial time. Just days ago, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek faced backlash for a post on X claiming that the cost of creating content was "close to zero," a statement widely lambasted by musicians who argued that producing quality music is far from free. Ek eventually backpedaled but is still facing a great deal of criticism.