Spotify and Warner Music Group (WMG) have unveiled a new multi-year agreement that covers both recorded music and music publishing, the companies announced on Thursday. WMG owns labels behind popular artists like Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and Ed Sheeran.
The companies said in a press release that “the new deal will help deliver new fan experiences, a deeper music and video catalog, further paid subscription tiers, and differentiated content bundles.”
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said on Tuesday that the company will offer a new “superfan” premium tier that will include additional features for subscribers. The comments come as Spotify has been teasing a hi-fi tier for years.
The deal between Spotify and WMG follows a similar one between the music streaming service and Universal Music Group (UMG) that was announced two weeks ago.
With these new deals, Spotify has the opportunity to launch new offerings to attract more subscribers and boost revenue.
“For Spotify, 2025 is a year of accelerated execution, and our partners at Warner Music Group share our commitment to rapid innovation and sustained investment in our leading music offerings,” Ek said in the press release. “Together, we’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for audiences worldwide—making paid music subscriptions more appealing while supporting artists and songwriters alike.”
The deal introduces a direct licensing model with Warner Chappell Music, which has a catalog of over 1 million copyrights in the U.S. and several other countries.
“This major agreement delivers new benefits for artists, songwriters, and fans while unlocking further collaboration that expands the music ecosystem,” said WMG CEO Robert Kyncl in the announcement. “It’s a big step forward in our vision for greater alignment between rights holders and streaming services. Together with Spotify, we look forward to increasing the value of music, as we drive growth, impact, and innovation.”
The financial terms of the new deal were not disclosed.
On Tuesday, Spotify reported its fourth-quarter earnings and marked its first full year of profitability since its inception 17 years ago.
Its operating income for the quarter hit a record €477 million ($509.48 million), contributing to a total operating income of €1.4 billion ($1.495 billion) for the 2024 fiscal year. Spotify reported an addition of 35 million monthly active users (MAUs), the largest Q4 net addition in the company’s history, bringing its total to 675 million.
