Spotify has revealed plans to increase subscription fees in France, in response to a planned new tax directed at all music-streaming services operating in the country.
The move comes nearly three months after the company vowed to begin disinvesting in France, initially pulling support from two festivals with the promise of more action to come this year. Now we have a clearer idea of what kind of action Spotify has been cooking up, with its lobbying efforts now cranking into overdrive as it looks to make lawmakers reverse course.
The proposed tax will see a levy of between 1.5 and 1.75% imposed on Spotify and rival services including Deezer, Apple Music, and Google’s YouTube Music, with proceeds redirected to the Centre National de la Musique (CNM), established in 2020 to support the French music sector. While all these respective companies are opposing the new law, Spotify has been the most vociferous, largely due to the fact it is the biggest player in the country.
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