My favorite streaming music service, Spotify, is facing a class action lawsuit claiming they violated the copyrights of thousands of artists. If the suit sticks, Spotify could be responsible for millions in unpaid royalties. If this happens, could it be the first in a domino effect for the entire streaming industry? What does the future hold for streaming users?
This post is not to argue for or against the lawsuit, but more to wonder what will happen to the industry as a result. I have gladly paid the $9.99 a month subscription for a long time and depend on the service as my prime music source. The subscription gives me more control over the music and my playlists and I would pay about that much a month in the CD and MP3 era, so it works perfect for me.
What are your thoughts? Will this lawsuit create a huge increase in prices for streaming services? Will the free tiers be eliminated? Will subscription services disappear all together? Personally, I hope the courts find a judgment that is fair to the artists as well as the subscribers. A huge rise in prices would for sure have me searching for new options and since I made the jump to streaming long ago, building up my library of music without it would be costly and difficult. At any rate, this is an issue I plan on keeping a close eye on.