Spotify Forces Shutdown of Artist Royalty Calculator With Legal Action

Spotify Forces Shutdown of Artist Royalty Calculator With Legal Action

By Marcus Stevenson

December 23, 2024 at 11:38 PM

Spotify has forcibly shut down 'Unwrapped,' a website calculator that revealed artist streaming royalties, following legal threats from the company's legal team.

Spotify Unwrapped website error screen

Spotify Unwrapped website error screen

The calculator allowed music fans to see how much artists earn from streaming by multiplying their total streams by $0.003 - the approximate per-stream rate. The site has been replaced with a message directing users to the United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) website.

This shutdown comes amid significant financial developments at Spotify:

  • CEO Daniel Ek's net worth has reached approximately $7.3 billion (Forbes)
  • Spotify stock approached $500 per share
  • The company implemented 25% workforce reduction in 2023
  • Premium subscription prices increased across multiple markets

Major Spotify insider stock sales in 2024 ($1.25 billion total):

  • Daniel Ek (CEO): $350 million
  • Martin Lorentzon (Co-Founder): $550 million
  • Gustav Söderström (Chief Product & Technology Officer): $106 million
  • Katarina Berg (Chief HR Officer): $38 million
  • Alex Norström (Chief Business Officer): $63 million
  • Dustee Jenkins (Head of PR): $6 million

The company is approaching a $100 billion market capitalization, with stock value nearly tripling in 2024. Executive stock sales notably accelerated during November and December, coinciding with widespread user criticism of this year's Spotify Wrapped feature.

White AirPods with health monitoring features

White AirPods with health monitoring features

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Concert crowd with falling confetti

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