Spotify is preparing a new paid feature that will allow subscribers to remix existing music using artificial intelligence. Scheduled for the first quarter of 2027, this service would be subject to a supplement of 4 to 5 dollars per month, in addition to the usual Premium subscription.
Paid AI Remixes for Spotify Subscribers
According to the Financial timesSpotify wants to allow its users to create their own versions of famous songs. For example, they could transform a folk song into an electro title or ask artificial intelligence to perform a song by another artist. The service will be aimed at paying subscribers who are willing to subscribe to this additional option.
This approach differs from AI music generators like Suno, which produce songs from simple prompts. Spotify wants to work directly from existing titles with the agreement of interested artists. The objective is to offer personalized creations while maintaining a link with the original works.
The launch would take place between January and March 2027, with a possible presentation around the Grammy Awards ceremony in February. Spotify had already announced this project last May, but since then it has not communicated a precise schedule. The company’s two executives, Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström, told investors that the service would launch when it was ready.
Spotify negotiates with record labels and artists
The implementation of this functionality requires new agreements with the music industry. Spotify has already reached agreements with Universal Music Group, Merlin (which represents independent labels) and the French company Believe. Negotiations are still ongoing with Sony Music and Warner Music.
However, the record companies’ agreement will not be enough to make all their catalogs available. Each artist will retain the option of whether or not to participate in the program, even when their label has signed a deal with Spotify. The streaming platform and Universal would have organized individual meetings to convince the artists to join the project.
But discussions are not always simple. The most popular contemporary artists are more difficult to convince than certain established figures from previous decades. Olivia Rodrigo, signed by Universal Music Group, particularly expressed her opposition to the use of AI in her music: “I would never do it. Absolutely not. This is a red line for me.”he told the Hollywood Reporter.
Spotify also aims to convince musicians by promising them a new source of income. Royalties generated from fan-created AI remixes would be returned to the artists behind the tracks. The platform is also working on a system that will allow these creations to be integrated into playlists with reproductions counted in the statistics and ratings of the original title.
Gustav Söderström advocates this approach especially with older artists. In September, he told Spotify investors that musicians from the 1980s and 1990s could now expect to earn more from covers and remixes made by their own fans. These creations would increase their share of streaming revenue.
A new subscription to increase Spotify income
This option is part of a broader strategy aimed at increasing spending among the most engaged subscribers. Spotify is also developing offers aimed at music lovers, including early access to select concert pre-sales and enriched packages around audiobooks.
The streaming platform has indicated that it is targeting double-digit annual revenue growth, with an average target of around 15% through 2030.
The additional price of 4 to 5 dollars per month, the launch date and the final conditions are yet to be confirmed. Spotify declined to comment.
