{"id":1958275,"date":"2025-08-13T17:03:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T17:03:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=1958275"},"modified":"2025-08-13T17:03:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T17:03:19","slug":"kobalt-inks-direct-licensing-deal-with-spotify-in-the-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/kobalt-inks-direct-licensing-deal-with-spotify-in-the-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Kobalt inks direct licensing deal with Spotify in the US"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Spotify<\/a> and Kobalt<\/a> have signed a direct, multi-year licensing agreement covering the United States.<\/p>\n

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The agreement marks Spotify\u2019s<\/strong> latest direct deal with a prominent music publisher and moves its agreement with Kobalt beyond the traditional CRB model in the US.<\/p>\n

This means that Kobalt\u2019s<\/strong> direct deal supersedes\u00a0the audiobook \u2018bundling<\/a>\u2018 <\/strong>payment structure that, starting in March last year, saw Spotify dramatically cut the rate of mechanical royalties <\/span>paid to publishers and songwriters in the US.<\/p>\n

Since then, Universal Music Publishing Group<\/a> and Warner Chappell Music<\/a> have signed direct licensing deals with Spotify<\/strong> that override the CRB<\/strong> bundling discount.<\/p>\n

Sony<\/a><\/strong> Music<\/strong> Publishing<\/strong> is the largest outstanding player on SPOT\u2019s<\/strong> list of potential direct licensing deals. MBW understands that Spotify<\/strong> is currently in discussions with the company about a new deal.<\/p>\n

Kobalt<\/strong> claims to be the world\u2019s largest independent music publisher, serving over 1 million<\/strong> songs across 10 global offices.<\/p>\n

It represents songwriters including Roddy Ricch, Max Martin, Karol G, Andrew Watt, Stevie Nicks, Phoebe Bridgers, The Lumineers, Gunna, Justin Quiles, The Foo Fighters, Paul McCartney<\/strong>, and many more.<\/p>\n

According to today\u2019s announcement, the new arrangement between Kobalt and Spotify<\/strong> is \u201cdesigned to deliver greater flexibility, efficiency, value, and protections to songwriters in the US\u201d.<\/p>\n

The companies also said that it \u201creflects a broader shift toward licensing structures that allow songwriters to participate more directly in the value their work creates on streaming platforms\u201d.<\/p>\n

It won\u2019t have gone unnoticed that Spotify\u2019s<\/strong> latest deal with Kobalt<\/strong> is for the US only<\/strong>. Could a separate ex-US licensing agreement be forthcoming between SPOT and Kobalt<\/strong> \u2013 or Kobalt\u2019s sister global collection org, AMRA<\/a><\/strong>?<\/p>\n

Some of the specific language used in the official announcement of today\u2019s deal is worth paying attention to.<\/p>\n

Commenting on the deal, Alex Norstr\u00f6m<\/strong>, Spotify\u2019s Co-President & Chief Business Officer explained that \u201cthis agreement with Kobalt boosts our support of songwriters through a licensing model that unlocks new growth and will expand the way music is made<\/strong> and shared<\/strong> today\u201d.<\/p>\n

Norstr\u00f6m<\/strong> said: \u201cWe\u2019ve always believed that better partnerships lead to better outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spotify is rumoured<\/a> to be developing an AI-powered remix feature that would allow users to edit songs, including speeding up, slowing down, and mashing up tracks.<\/p>\n

Could that be what Norstr\u00f6m<\/strong> is referencing in his statement?<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis agreement with Kobalt boosts our support of songwriters through a licensing model that unlocks new growth and will expand the way music is made<\/strong> and shared<\/strong> today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex Norstr\u00f6m<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Also in today\u2019s press release, Spotify and Kobalt<\/strong> noted that their new licensing deal \u201creflects the collaborative efforts between [the two companies] in building a licensing framework to enable new formats<\/strong>, innovations, and potential to connect creators and fans alike\u201d.<\/p>\n

One particular \u201cnew format\u201d not yet available on Spotify in the US is music videos<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The company initially launched<\/a> music videos in beta in March 2024 in 11 countries \u2013 the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Kenya. It later added Egypt to the list.<\/p>\n

The platform then expanded music video streaming to 85 new markets in October 2024, but the US wasn\u2019t included.<\/p>\n

If music videos are indeed one of the \u201cnew formats\u201d Spotify\u2019s statement refers to, a new licensing deal with Kobalt<\/strong> that covers music video usage in the US ahead of the format\u2019s probable launch there would make sense.<\/p>\n

(Also not irrelevant in terms of \u2018new formats\u2019: Just last week, Kobalt<\/strong>\u00a0announced<\/a>\u00a0a landmark licensing agreement with ElevenLabs<\/strong>\u2019 new AI music platform, Eleven Music \u2013 a rival to Suno.)<\/p>\n

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\u201cAs the largest independent music publisher dedicated to fighting for the rights of songwriters, this deal reaffirms our unwavering commitment to ensuring our songwriters are paid fairly for their work, and underscores the importance of progressive licensing models that reflect the real-world use of music across digital platforms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurent Hubert<\/a>, Kobalt<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Kobalt CEO Laurent Hubert<\/strong> commented on the new Spotify deal. \u201cAs the largest independent music publisher dedicated to fighting for the rights of songwriters, this deal reaffirms our unwavering commitment to ensuring our songwriters are paid fairly for their work, and underscores the importance of progressive licensing models that reflect the real-world use of music across digital platform.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis partnership is a step in the right direction, and we look forward to continuing to work with Spotify to increase the value of songwriter royalties.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Spotify\u2019s controversial \u201cbundling<\/strong>\u201d move in the US market is an important piece of context to today\u2019s story.<\/p>\n

A short history:<\/p>\n