Spotify's planned Super-Premium tier faces potential delays due to an ongoing licensing dispute with music publishers, particularly regarding remix and mashup features. The streaming giant's expansion plans have met resistance from the National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) over licensing concerns.


Key developments in the situation:

• The NMPA has issued thousands of takedown notices to Spotify targeting unauthorized use of protected works in podcasts
• In May 2024, NMPA explicitly warned Spotify against launching remix features without proper licensing
• Spotify plans to include AI-powered multi-artist track mashups and remix capabilities in its 2025 Super-Premium tier
• Two major publishing companies have moved toward direct licensing deals, with Sony Music expected to follow

The platform's bundling practices have led to significant royalty savings, triggering pushback from songwriters and publishers. While larger publishing companies are negotiating direct deals, smaller publishers may hold out for better financial terms before agreeing to remix permissions.

Current challenges include:

• Widespread unauthorized use of protected media in podcast episodes
• Ongoing content moderation issues
• Need for comprehensive licensing agreements before launching new features
• Growing pressure from established market slowdowns

Spotify appears to be planning a gradual rollout of Super-Premium features rather than a comprehensive launch, likely in response to these licensing hurdles. The success of the new tier may depend on resolving these publishing disputes, particularly regarding remix and mashup capabilities.

The situation highlights the complex relationship between streaming platforms and rights holders as services attempt to expand their offerings while navigating licensing requirements and publisher relationships.

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