Swedish criminal networks have been using Spotify to launder money since 2019, according to a new investigation by Svenska Dagbladet (SvD).
The gangs buy Bitcoin through "cash in hand" trades initiated via a Facebook group, and then use the cryptocurrency to pay for fake streams of music published by artists with ties to the gangs. This artificially inflates the popularity of the music, which then leads to higher royalties from Spotify.
The 41st Canadian Music Week (CMW) kicked off at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto last week, with a jam-packed schedule of events and performances. The evenings were filled with some of the brightest new and established Canadian artists, including Charlotte Cardin, Tumble, Fuego, Grace May, Virginia To Vegas, and Badflower. The days were filled with a series of expert panels covering topics from sync licensing to Afrobeats to new release marketing strategies.
Spotify is testing a new playlist option called “Your Offline Mix”. The new function allows users to play tracks even when the Internet connection is choppy or close to non-existent.
Spotify is the world’s most popular music streaming service, with over 400 million monthly active users and 172 million premium subscribers1. However, unlike some of its competitors such as Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited and YouTube Music, Spotify has not raised its subscription prices in the U.S. for its individual premium plan, which costs $9.99 per month
There is a debate in the UK about how to fairly reward performers and creators for music streaming. Some MPs have called for a "complete reset" of the market and proposed that the government pass legislation to give performers the right to "equitable remuneration"
