Due to inflation, we constantly find ourselves with price increases for our various subscriptions, particularly streaming. This time it concerns Spotify, you will have to pay even more.
In a constantly evolving economic environment, as our invoices show at the end of each month, Spotify Premium users in France will soon see an increase in their subscriptions… This increase in prices is clearly a direct consequence of the introduction of a new French government tax, known as the CNM tax, intended to support the National Music Center. This will clearly divide.
Spotify is increasing in price, why?
At the moment, unfortunately, we do not know how much this increase in the subscription price will be. Currently, the personal premium subscription costs €10.99 per month. The Premium Duo subscription costs €14.99 per month, the Premium Family subscription costs €17.99 per month and the Premium Student subscription costs €5.99 per month. All these prices should logically increase, except perhaps the student rate? We do not know yet.
As Spotify points out in its press release, the CNM, a public body, plays a crucial role in the French musical landscape by carrying out studies on the industry and granting subsidies to record labels and producers of live shows. At the end of 2023, the French government imposed an additional tax on music streaming services in order to finance this organization. This decision was born from the desire to financially support the French music industry. Although the tax has raised concerns about its effectiveness. But also has its direct impact on artists and listeners.
We can learn that Spotify has expressed its dissatisfaction with this new measure. Stressing that the tax represents a significant financial burden, especially as the company already contributes substantially to the French music industry. In 2022, Spotify explains that it will have generated nearly 225 million euros for the recorded music sector in France. Which represents around a quarter of the industry’s total turnover for this year. However, with the introduction of the CNM tax, Spotify will now have to pay a significant portion of each euro earned to rights holders and the government. In short, it is the consumer who will have to pay the price.
Between that, and the increases on other services, whether disguised or not (with advertising system) like on Netflix and Prime Video, we will have to make choices…