Spotify has increased the price of its premium membership in France by an eye-popping 0.13 euros in response to a music-streaming charge that the government imposed at the beginning of the year.
At €11.12 a month for an individual membership plan, the new price is 1.2% more than the previous amount. This is the same as the 1.2% levy that France imposed on music-streaming firms beginning January 1 of this year, including Deezer, Apple, Google, and Spotify. The rise of 1.2% is applicable to all of Spotify’s membership plans, including the student, family, and duo subscription packs.
The French government decided to implement the new tax as a means of providing assistance to the country’s music industry. The Centre National de la Musique (CNM), founded four years ago, would receive the tax’s profits.
In retaliation, Spotify said at the tail end of the previous year that it would be withdrawing its financial support for local French music festivals such as Les Francofolies de la Rochelle and the Printemps de Bourges. The business had also said that it would raise prices in France, but it had not disclosed the amount by which the hike would take place. Eltrys received a statement from Spotify at the time, stating that the change aimed to offset the tax expenses. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the new pricing matches the imposed charge.
Although the hike is unlikely to force customers to cancel their premium subscriptions, France currently ranks among the Eurozone nations with the highest Spotify prices.
