Spotify is considering a new paid service that would let subscribers use artificial intelligence to create remixes and covers of songs, expanding the streaming company’s role from distributing music to helping users alter it. The Financial Times reported that Spotify is targeting an early 2027 launch, although the timing and price remain under discussion.
The proposed feature could allow a listener to turn a folk song into a dance track or make one artist appear to perform another artist’s music. Spotify is considering adding about $4 to $5 per month to the service, according to a person familiar with the discussions cited by the Financial Times.
Licensing talks are underway
Spotify is negotiating licensing agreements with Sony Music and Warner Music. The company has reached agreements with Universal Music Group, the independent-label licensing group Merlin and French music company Believe, according to the Financial Times.
The planned arrangements would provide royalties to artists when their music is used in remixes. Spotify is also developing a system that would allow those remixes to appear in playlists and count toward artists’ streaming royalties. Musicians would be able to veto use of their music even when a licensing agreement covers the service.
- The possible launch window is early 2027.
- The potential additional monthly charge is about $4 to $5.
- Licensing discussions involve Sony Music and Warner Music, while deals have been reached with Universal Music Group, Merlin and Believe.
The licensing effort comes as music companies and artists continue to debate how AI-generated and AI-assisted music should be created, distributed and compensated. Spotify has also dealt with a growing volume of AI music on its platform, including material associated with the AI group The Velvet Sundown, which the source said accumulated 1 million streams.
Artists weigh AI’s role
Some established artists have expressed concern about the technology’s effect on musicians and creative ownership. Former Beatle Paul McCartney said AI could “rip off” up-and-coming musicians, while David Byrne, the Talking Heads frontman, described AI soundalike tracks as “an endless nightmare.”
Paul McCartney said AI could “rip off” up-and-coming musicians.
Spotify is reportedly finding it challenging to persuade some major contemporary stars to participate, while some established older artists have been more willing to consider the plan. The proposed service would place those decisions inside the streaming platform, where users could create versions of songs and potentially encounter them alongside officially released recordings.
