In a move that underscores the growing importance of high-quality audio in the music industry, Apple Music has announced an increase in royalty rates for music available in Spatial Audio. The streaming giant will now pay artists up to 10% more for tracks available in this immersive audio format, starting from January 2024.
A Reward for Quality and Effort
Apple Music’s decision to increase royalty rates for Spatial Audio content is not just a nod to the superior quality of this audio format, but also a recognition of the additional time and investment artists put into creating it. The company stated that the change is designed to ensure that artists are adequately compensated for their efforts.
The Rise of Spatial Audio
Spatial Audio is an advanced sound technology that creates an immersive, three-dimensional listening experience. It has been rapidly adopted by some of the world’s biggest hitmakers, with 80% of the songs that made it to Apple Music’s Global Daily Top 100 in the past year being available in Spatial Audio.
The Fine Print
The increased royalty rate will be calculated using a factor of 1.1 for Spatial Available plays, while Non-Spatial Available plays will continue to use a factor of 1. This means that if all of an artist’s music is offered in Spatial Audio, they will receive the 10% royalty bonus even if no one actually listened to the spatial version.
Quality Control Measures
Apple Music has also implemented a quality control process to ensure the integrity of Spatial Audio content. The company has a zero-tolerance policy against deceptive or manipulative content, and this extends to Spatial Audio content as well.
FAQ
What is Spatial Audio?
Spatial Audio is an advanced sound technology that creates an immersive, three-dimensional listening experience. It’s like surround sound, but more advanced and immersive.
How does the increased royalty rate for Spatial Audio work?
The increased royalty rate will be calculated using a factor of 1.1 for Spatial Available plays, while Non-Spatial Available plays will continue to use a factor of 1. This means that if all of an artist’s music is offered in Spatial Audio, they will receive the 10% royalty bonus even if no one actually listened to the spatial version.
What is Apple Music’s policy on Spatial Audio content?
Apple Music has a zero-tolerance policy against deceptive or manipulative content, and this extends to Spatial Audio content as well. The company has implemented a quality control process to ensure the integrity of Spatial Audio content.
Glossary
Spatial Audio: An advanced sound technology that creates an immersive, three-dimensional listening experience.
Royalty: A payment made to the legal owner of a property, especially a patent or a copyright, for the right to use their property.
Non-Spatial Available plays: Plays of music tracks that are not available in Spatial Audio.
Spatial Available plays: Plays of music tracks that are available in Spatial Audio.
