APPLE MUSIC INCREASES ROYALTIES FOR SPATIAL AUDIO

Apple Music has announced plans to elevate royalty payments for tracks produced in Spatial Audio by 10%. This strategic move is designed to foster the widespread adoption of Spatial Audio technology while ensuring equitable compensation for artists' creative endeavors.

Commencing this past January, this financial incentive will be contingent upon the volume of plays, with Spatial-available tracks receiving a factor of 1.1, while Non-Spatial-available tracks will maintain a factor of 1.

Introduced by Apple Music in June 2021, Spatial Audio harnesses Dolby Atmos technology to deliver an immersive auditory experience. Eddy Cue, Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, envisions this innovation as the future of music, granting listeners the sensation of being physically present with the artist on stage.

“Pro-rata shares for Spatial-available plays will be calculated using a factor of 1.1 while Non-Spatial-available plays will continue to use a factor of 1,” read a letter sent out by Apple Music to its partners on Monday, Jan. 22. “This change is not only meant to reward higher quality content, but also to ensure that artists are being compensated for the time and investment they put into mixing in Spatial.”

In a bid to uphold quality standards and deter any deceptive practices, the letter underscores Apple Music's steadfast commitment to maintaining integrity within its content offerings. It underscores the platform's zero-tolerance policy against deceptive or manipulative content, emphasizing a stringent quality control process. This process includes vigilant monitoring and flagging of content that does not adhere to Apple Music's Spatial Audio specifications and high standards of quality.

Listeners can readily identify Spatial Audio tracks on Apple Music by seeking out the distinctive Dolby Atmos or Dolby Audio logos.

For more information visit the official Apple website.