Dist. ST Holdings remove all their labels from Spotify

[wub]

http://www.stholdings.co.uk/2011/11/16/ ... o-napster/

"STHoldings can confirm that we have taken the decision to remove all STHoldings distributed content from the following music services, Spotify, Simfy, Rdio & Napster.

Despite these services offering promotion to many millions of music listeners we have concerns that these services cannibalise the revenues of more traditional digital services. These concerns are confirmed in our own accounts and a recent study by NPD Group and NARM

As a distributor we have to do what is best for our labels. The majority of which do not want their music on such services because of the poor revenues and the detrimental affect on sales. Add to that, the feeling that their music loses it’s specialness by it’s exploitation as a low value/free commodity. Quoting one of our labels “Let’s keep the music special, fuck Spotify”

All the labels we represent have been given the choice to have their music to Spotify, Simfy, Rdio & Napster. As of today (16.11.11) from the 238 labels we distribute, 4 have expressed that they would like to be on these services."

Full list of labels here - http://www.stholdings.co.uk/label_list/

Of note - Deep Medi, Chestplate, DMZ, Swamp81, Wheel & Deal etc etc

[arktrix45hz]

Good...spotify pay a pittance per play. I know D-Bridge was talking about removing all Exit content from there via Twitter the other week. Hopefully more labels and artists follow suit.

[Naan_Bread]

So I'll just listen to it on Grooveshark then...

[Mr Hyde]

I find it a strange argument of almost all artists/labels: 'we're all about the music' is at odd with 'this service gets it to a big audience but we don't make enough money from it and it gets to people too easily so we won't allow it' ....actually not all about the music then? quite a lot about being a bit elitist and making the most money from the music as possible.

[stormtrace]

I find it a strange argument of almost all artists/labels: 'we're all about the music' is at odd with 'this service gets it to a big audience but we don't make enough money from it and it gets to people too easily so we won't allow it' ....actually not all about the music then? quite a lot about being a bit elitist and making the most money from the music as possible.

I don't think that is fair Mr Hyde. The problem with spotify is just that they pay out 0.006p per unique stream. Which frankly is disgraceful considering they purport themselves to be a legal platform who redistributes the advertising revenue.

It doesn't mean that all artists are money grabbing it just means that they are after a fair deal. Just because spotify offers a big platform doesn't mean that the musicians deserve to be taken advantage of.

[Pedro Sánchez]

These streaming services and most digital download services are just dangling carrots to small labels, there is no benefit, unless you want a broader audience (I use that term loosely) which won't be achieved by just having your catalogue on them without shit loads of promotion. They are not actually democratizing music distribution as the myth would have you believe, they are just introducing more shit into the market place.

[pdomino]

I agree with them, there's nothing wrong with exclusivity and making money from music of course.

[wormcode]

It's not just independent artists they screw over, I remember some figures a year or 2 ago where Lady Gaga was payed only like 150US or so for over 1 million streams of a song. That's jokes. Small labels have nothing to gain from that I think. Plenty of other places to get exposure, and Spotify isn't even in every country anyway, plus there's software to pirate from spotify itself.

http://torrentfreak.com/id-rather-be-ra ... fy-090813/
Swedish artist and composer Magnus Uggla has launched a scathing attack on the owners of Spotify. After discovering that Sony BMG is a shareholder and after receiving virtually no payment from his music being played there, he has withdrawn his tracks from the service declaring, “I’d rather be raped by The Pirate Bay.”

[Mr Hyde]

I find it a strange argument of almost all artists/labels: 'we're all about the music' is at odd with 'this service gets it to a big audience but we don't make enough money from it and it gets to people too easily so we won't allow it' ....actually not all about the music then? quite a lot about being a bit elitist and making the most money from the music as possible.

I don't think that is fair Mr Hyde. The problem with spotify is just that they pay out 0.006p per unique stream. Which frankly is disgraceful considering they purport themselves to be a legal platform who redistributes the advertising revenue.

It doesn't mean that all artists are money grabbing it just means that they are after a fair deal. Just because spotify offers a big platform doesn't mean that the musicians deserve to be taken advantage of.

Fair enough, its more the fact that artists and labels always seem to beat around the bush and keep this 'we're all about the music' sort of line. Just come out and say- we want to be elitist and make as much money as possible.

I agree with them, there's nothing wrong with exclusivity and making money from music of course.

This is very true, and I do sort of agree with them too. Although am more of the mind that you need to offer something better to make the ££, if business is getting taken away by streaming services then you need to sell your tunes at a higher quality format, or physical formats, or make money from live shows. (there was a whole 'radio is killing the music industry' and after that 'taping is killing the music industry'- neither did)

[pdomino]

I find it a strange argument of almost all artists/labels: 'we're all about the music' is at odd with 'this service gets it to a big audience but we don't make enough money from it and it gets to people too easily so we won't allow it' ....actually not all about the music then? quite a lot about being a bit elitist and making the most money from the music as possible.

I don't think that is fair Mr Hyde. The problem with spotify is just that they pay out 0.006p per unique stream. Which frankly is disgraceful considering they purport themselves to be a legal platform who redistributes the advertising revenue.

It doesn't mean that all artists are money grabbing it just means that they are after a fair deal. Just because spotify offers a big platform doesn't mean that the musicians deserve to be taken advantage of.

Fair enough, its more the fact that artists and labels always seem to beat around the bush and keep this 'we're all about the music' sort of line. Just come out and say- we want to be elitist and make as much money as possible.

I agree with them, there's nothing wrong with exclusivity and making money from music of course.

This is very true, and I do sort of agree with them too. Although am more of the mind that you need to offer something better to make the ££, if business is getting taken away by streaming services then you need to sell your tunes at a higher quality format, or physical formats, or make money from live shows. (there was a whole 'radio is killing the music industry' and after that 'taping is killing the music industry'- neither did)

Same, sort of agree, I'm sure all formats are already covered and other formats don't really work anymore. Not 'killing' an industry but making a noticeable dent.

[seckle]

Spotify reply
http://musically.com/2011/11/16/more-co ... g-payouts/

[collige]

I find it a strange argument of almost all artists/labels: 'we're all about the music' is at odd with 'this service gets it to a big audience but we don't make enough money from it and it gets to people too easily so we won't allow it' ....actually not all about the music then? quite a lot about being a bit elitist and making the most money from the music as possible.

I don't think it's an issue of not making enough than it is of not wanting to be taken advantage of. Spotify's model does not work in favor of artists, or even fairly.

[joeki]

Spotify sucks any way. A stupid program that doesn't know how to read tags or get correct artwork for legally downloaded releases on your PC. ALso, it doesn't play FLAC. It's completely useless for me.