Amazon Music Raises Prices on Unlimited Plans with Audiobooks, Keeps Standard Music-Only Tier Unchanged
Amazon Music has increased prices for its Unlimited subscription tier in the U.S., while introducing a new "Amazon Music Standard" option without audiobooks at lower rates.
Key Price Changes for Amazon Music Unlimited:
- Prime members: $10.99/month (up $1)
- Non-Prime members: $11.99/month
- Family Plan: $19.99/month (up $3)
- Annual Prime subscription: $109 (up from $99)
Amazon Music subscription price display
Amazon Music Standard (without audiobooks) maintains previous pricing:
- Prime members: $9.99/month
- Family Plan: Previous lower rate maintained
Important Industry Impact:
- Similar to Spotify's recent bundling strategy with audiobooks
- Could affect royalty payments to songwriters and publishers
- "Bundled" revenue receives different treatment under Phonorecords IV determination
- Currently, about 20% of Amazon Music subscribers use bundled plans, compared to Spotify's 99%
Recent Related Developments:
- December 2024: Amazon Music launched "artist-centric" partnership with Universal Music Group
- Universal Music Publishing Group recently made direct agreement with Spotify
- Apple Music maintains $10.99 monthly rate for Individual plans
The price changes take effect immediately for new subscribers and will apply to existing subscribers after March 5th. These changes reflect a broader industry trend of streaming services adjusting their pricing and bundling strategies to optimize revenue while managing royalty obligations.
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