Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has announced plans to expand the platform's subscription options and bundles as part of a strategy to optimize its value-to-price ratio. This development comes amid industry controversy over the company's recent pricing changes and audiobook integration.

Ek explained that Spotify's approach focuses on balancing value delivery with market-appropriate pricing. The company plans to enhance both its base tier offerings and expand consumer choice through various subscription options.

The evolution of Spotify's subscription model has progressed from single-person plans to include:

• Family plans
• Duo subscriptions
• Regional payment options (including day and week passes in Southeast Asia)
• Upcoming audiobook-only tier
• Planned music-only tier

However, this strategy has met resistance from the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA). David Israelite, NMPA's President and CEO, strongly criticized Spotify's audiobook-only option, viewing it as an attempt to reduce songwriter payments through service reclassification.

The conflict centers around mechanical licensing rates, which were set at 15.35% for 2023-2027 in a 2022 settlement. Israelite characterized Spotify's bundling approach as "cynical and potentially unlawful," suggesting potential legal action against the streaming platform.

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