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# Music streamers just knowingly killed a simple way to pay artists more money
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/music-streamers-just-knowingly-killed-a-simple-way-to-pay-artists-more-money/
- Published: 2021-05-18T15:52:00.000Z
- Updated: 2021-05-18T16:47:03.000Z
- Description: Yesterday Apple Music and 30 minutes later Amazon Music announced they would not charge extra for hi-res lossless and 3D Spatial audio streaming. It seems likely that Spotify will follow. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2021/05/music-streamers-just-knowingly-killed-a-simple-way-to-
- Author: Bruce Houghton
- Tags: Music Business, Music Tech, Streaming, Dolby, lossless, spatial audio, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 09:48

Yesterday Apple Music and 30 minutes later Amazon Music announced they would not charge extra for hi-res lossless and 3D Spatial audio streaming.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3a/95/3a957c06-c825-4057-9939-0a274cc16d23/content/images/www-hypebot-com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/headphones.png)

It seems likely that Spotify will follow soon at the same price point.

Tidal, Quboz, and even Amazon Music had been charging an extra $5 or $14.99 per month for the higher quality streams.

Becuase 51% of revenue collected by a music streamer is paid out in royalties, every $14.99 per month hi-res subscriptions added $31 more each year to the pool that pays artists, songwriters, and labels than the average $9.99 per month subscription.

Many analysts beleive that Apple and Amazon cut prices to compete with Spotify. Others point to low adoption of hi-res streaming. After all, if no one is willing to pay extra, why not give it away for free?

Whatever the reason, the message to artists is clear: Don’t expect higher royalties any time soon.

#### MORE:

[**Apple Music adds Dolby Spatial and Lossless Audio with no price increase**](https://www.hypebot.com/apple-music-adds-spatial-and-lossless-audio-with-no-price-increase-official/)

[**Amazon Music matches Apple with HD and 3D music at no extra cost**](https://www.hypebot.com/amazon-music-matches-apple-with-hd-and-3d-music-at-no-extra-cost/)