Spotify’s New “Basic” Plan: Cheaper Music, More for Artists?

Spotify is giving music fans in the US a cheaper option with the launch of their new “Basic” subscription tier. At just $10.99 per month, Basic undercuts the standard Premium Individual plan by a single dollar.

Unlike Premium, Basic ditches the inclusion of 15 hours of ad-free audiobook listening that had been bundled in. The move strips away features for those who care about music above all else.

Spotify’s previous bundling of audio content enabled them to qualify for reduced royalty rates when paying artists and songwriters. This perk outraged many in the industry and led to several legal showdowns over fair compensation.

Basic gives listeners an ad-free streaming experience focused solely on tunes. Supporters believe redirecting funds generated from the stripped-down tier will put more cash in musicians’ pockets. Whether it truly impacts payout rates remains to be seen.

Existing Premium subscribers can make the switch to Basic right from their account settings. New members, however, don’t appear to have the option yet. This suggests you may need to start with Premium to downgrade later. But as the plan just launched, Spotify may update sign-up pages soon.

Duet and Family plans also have Basic versions now. So depending on your needs, this new value option could be the music-lovers’ choice. Head over to your Spotify account anytime to change your subscription and try out Basic.