Would Spotify able to at some point simply just pay off the debt by issuing more stock or raise money from an alternative source?
Spotify raises $1B in debt with devilish terms to fight Apple Music
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Re: Spotify raises $1B in debt with devilish terms to fight Apple Music
#62Would Spotify able to at some point simply just pay off the debt by issuing more stock or raise money from an alternative source?
Re: Spotify raises $1B in debt with devilish terms to fight Apple Music
#63This is significant. It shows a do or die attitude and a fact that many companies at this level are not self-aware enough to recognize; that their competition (Apple) will kill them, or, they will dominate this space. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.
It helps that Apple Music has been relatively terrible from the start. I fully expect them to get significantly better, but after Rdio died (RIP, and I got over my mourning) I did the Apple Music trial plus a couple months. Both the wife and I found it incredibly difficult to navigate and understand. Spotify has been much, much better. That said, Apple Music is only going to get better, and fast.
It's odd to me how Google Music is not often mentioned. It is either Spotify or Apple Music. I quit Spotify years ago when Google Music started, having never really cared for Spotify.
Re: Spotify raises $1B in debt with devilish terms to fight Apple Music
#64Spotify waste so much money on their employees, who effectively do very little. I know a designer who has been there 2 years, basically sits in meetings and gets sent to different countries, and has added nothing to their portfolio. Yet gets reviews and raises and bonuses... Then there's all the parties they host for their employees, etc. It's not a company I would invest in if I had any money to begin with. Also tha…
The modern desktop app is at a point where it's pretty solid, but I still miss that old 0.80.x branch or whatever the final non-chromium verison was. But you know what? Google doesn't have a desktop app for Google Music. Amazon doesn't have a desktop app for Amazon Prime. Apple doesn't have a desktop version... so yeah, despite the fact that Spotify's only-one-in-the-business desktop app isn't perfect, it does exist.…
The desktop app is nothing special, just another web-view. Put Amazon or Google Music into Fluid and you have the same functionality minus media key control.
Re: Spotify raises $1B in debt with devilish terms to fight Apple Music
#65Can anyone honestly enlighten me as to why Spotify matters? I've used it once and never got past finding anything to listen to while on SoundCloud I was drawn in without even thinking about it and have nearly 60 songs that I wouldn't have found otherwise. Not trolling, I want to find what they offer since I hear about them in the news way more than SoundCloud.
Re: Spotify raises $1B in debt with devilish terms to fight Apple Music
#66Is it really just Apple? They have money to throw around, but not a well received product yet. Meanwhile, there's Play Music, Youtube Red, Soundcloud, Pandora, Bandcamp.. Things could change, but right now I think Google is more competitive because they offer two bundled services that are both superior in design (IMO). If Soundcloud can survive financially, they are very competitive for those seeking music discovery.
You're right, I think people severely overlook Google Play Music when they talk about online streaming services. It's close to the same price as all the competitors, but the music library is much more thorough. I listen to some semi-obscure music and I've had trouble finding some of the bands and albums I like on Spotify and apple music, but I've never not been able to find an album on either Play Music or YouTube. P…
> I think people severely overlook Google Play Music when they talk about online streaming services.
I just mentioned this above. It always seems to be Spotify this or Apple Music that. Play Music works great, and is even better that I'm grandfathered in at $7.99/month beta price.
Re: Spotify raises $1B in debt with devilish terms to fight Apple Music
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
The modern desktop app is at a point where it's pretty solid, but I still miss that old 0.80.x branch or whatever the final non-chromium verison was. But you know what? Google doesn't have a desktop app for Google Music. Amazon doesn't have a desktop app for Amazon Prime. Apple doesn't have a desktop version... so yeah, despite the fact that Spotify's only-one-in-the-business desktop app isn't perfect, it does exist.…
The desktop app is nothing special, just another web-view. Put Amazon or Google Music into Fluid and you have the same functionality minus media key control.
"Minus key control" is HUGE, though. Key control is amazing.
Re: Spotify raises $1B in debt with devilish terms to fight Apple Music
#68Is it really just Apple? They have money to throw around, but not a well received product yet. Meanwhile, there's Play Music, Youtube Red, Soundcloud, Pandora, Bandcamp.. Things could change, but right now I think Google is more competitive because they offer two bundled services that are both superior in design (IMO). If Soundcloud can survive financially, they are very competitive for those seeking music discovery.
And Amazon Prime, which many now get for "free" because they get prime for other reasons
Re: Spotify raises $1B in debt with devilish terms to fight Apple Music
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
Good point - it's all or nothing for Spotify, they are not profitable at current scale and need critical mass re: subscribers + defense against Apple, and if they don't get there, then they are dead anyhow.
> they are not profitable at current scale How? They are making approximately a 1 billion dollars a year (30 million subscribers * $10/month * 12 months/year * 30% cut). Their engineers are probably paid less too since they are not based in the US. The only thing i can suspect that they are blowing that much money on is marketing but even that just seems ridiculous unless they are losing that much on the freemium use…
Catalog rights is probably a good portion of it...
Re: Spotify raises $1B in debt with devilish terms to fight Apple Music
#70Can anyone honestly enlighten me as to why Spotify matters? I've used it once and never got past finding anything to listen to while on SoundCloud I was drawn in without even thinking about it and have nearly 60 songs that I wouldn't have found otherwise. Not trolling, I want to find what they offer since I hear about them in the news way more than SoundCloud.
SoundCloud does an excellent job of finding "similar tracks" which autoplay after your current, and I often find myself in the same boat (or bookmarking a track because the related tracks are so good). Spotify comes from the other direction: You can play anything, as long as you know what it is, and the discovery (outside of "Discover Weekly") isn't as on-point or pushed onto you as strongly.
Beyonce doesn't release her songs on SoundCloud, but those who I listen to (or find myself listening to) on on SoundCloud aren't on Spotify.