Spotify's hierarchy will become more complex this year. The music streaming app is reportedly planning to require customers to cough another $6 a month for HIFI streaming. This is a feature Spotify has promised for nearly four years, but to add sweetness to the pot, the app may also try to attract your early concert tickets, though you'll still be in the whimsical Ticketmaster.
According to a report by Bloomberg, several anonymous sources were cited, and this new HIFI flow layer was labeled Music Pro. The $6 monthly subscription will be on top of the current $12 Spotify Premium program, although it is unclear whether it will be available to all members of the duo or family program, and whether there is an option to pay $6 a month for students. The report said streaming companies are still working to come up with details and there is no release schedule. This is not surprising. Spotify has been studying details of HIFI since early 2021.
Spotify may provide more incentives for HIFI audio. The first thing on the list is to get pre-sales and better seating options from the main ticket sellers. According to Bloomberg, Spotify held “initial talks” with the promoters and ticketing companies. So while you may be able to deceive scalpers with such a service, you can’t avoid being criticized sellers on Ticketmaster.
Additionally, Spotify is obviously so gugg-ho on AI, and is willing to let users remix multiple tracks from AI's artists. It sounds bad, but it may not all come out. Spotify will roll out these features over time, and if all you want is Hifi Audio, you can enjoy it first if the feature has been waiting for four years. Like all other major tech companies, Spotify is also a negative reaction to the Spotify-wrapped Turgid AI podcast.
Spotify executives told us that in 2023, they will “finally” release their lossless audio plans. We hope we can see the head of Hifi two years ago and then look forward again in 2024. Without the news from streaming services, it is easy to make lossless as a death feature, and even with these latest rumors, there is nothing we can do. But wondering if Spotify will provide the ability to loser audio compression. Apple currently uses its own Apple lossless audio codec, which can be used for 24-bit/192 kHz compression. The company claims the technology is “almost indistinguishable” from lossless audio.
Still, most regular listeners are listening to their non-professional earbuds that will be hard to distinguish the tracks played on Apple Music, Spotify and even Tidal’s Max Hifi Flac. Even so, Spotify still needs to keep the gravy train rolling in some way. The company released its first year of profitability in 2024.
Hopefully the new hierarchy will not include more price increases. Last year, Spotify Add $1 or $2 per year per year, A $10 audiobook-centric subscription was introduced.
