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# Spotify Draws Fire For ‘Tone Deaf’ Ad Campaign: ‘Dance As If No One Is Paying”
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/spotify-draws-fire-for-tone-deaf-ad-campaign-dance-as-if-no-one-is-paying/
- Published: 2019-07-10T01:41:00.000Z
- Updated: 2019-07-10T01:41:00.000Z
- Description: Spotify is under fire from artist advocates and music fans over a new ad campaign that offers 4o day free trials of its Premium service. "WTF @Spotify!?! How did anyone. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2019/07/spotify-draws-fire-for-tone-deaf-ad-campaign-dance-as-if-no-one-is-payin
- Author: Bruce Houghton
- Tags: Music Business, Music Marketing, Music Tech, Streaming, ad, music, musician, musicians, Spotify, Spotify Premium, streaming, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 09:55

[![image from cdn.pixabay.com](https://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20240a46d9d84200c-200wi "image from cdn.pixabay.com")](https://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20240a46d9d84200c-popup?ref=hypebot.com)Spotify is under fire from artist advocates and music fans over a new ad campaign that offers 4o day free trials of its Premium service. "WTF @Spotify!?! How did anyone in your company think this was a good idea?? #FAIL," tweeted ECR Music pr executive Amy Gardner.

[![image from pbs.twimg.com](https://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20240a4bb7b77200b-450wi "image from pbs.twimg.com")](https://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20240a4bb7b77200b-popup?ref=hypebot.com)

The ad reads "Dance like nobody's paying" above a pitch that Spotify Premium is free for the first 30 days.“Dance like nobody’s paying because we aren’t,” tweeted singer/songwriter David Poe in response. "Keep in mind that it takes 380,000 streams a month on @Spotify for an artist to earn minimum wage," wrote musician and advocate Blake Morgan. "Meanwhile, the average @Spotify employee earns $14,000 a month. Nobody's paying? We musicians are, with our lives. #IRespectMusic" "That is simply awful," added one fan. "Just think, the ad agency employee who came up with that tone-deaf (pun intended) foolishness is paid more than the vast majority of artists on Spotify."

> Here’s [@Spotify](https://twitter.com/Spotify?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=hypebot.com)’s new tone-deaf ad campaign. Keep in mind that it takes 380,000 streams a month on [@Spotify](https://twitter.com/Spotify?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=hypebot.com) for an artist to earn minimum wage. Meanwhile, the average [@Spotify](https://twitter.com/Spotify?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=hypebot.com) employee earns $14,000 a month. Nobody's paying? We musicians are, with our lives. [#IRespectMusic](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IRespectMusic?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=hypebot.com) [pic.twitter.com/mroqQNGxLJ](https://t.co/mroqQNGxLJ?ref=hypebot.com)  
>  
> — Blake Morgan (@TheBlakeMorgan) [July 9, 2019](https://twitter.com/TheBlakeMorgan/status/1148619724139483136?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=hypebot.com)