Premium tier for Spotify?

Is major music streaming service Spotify planning to offer premium-only content next year, to offset the challenge by Apple Music?

Digital Music News reported of speculation that it is looking at making certain premium releases only to paying subscribers, or offering these for a limited time only to non-payers. Spotify has stood firm against a “gated access” model but Muse’s 10-minute track The Globalist from their current album Drones was only offered to subscribers.

As reported in TMN, Apple Music notched up 11 million subscribers in its first five weeks. It will not have a free tier after its three-month trial.

A European Commission inquiry has found no evidence that Apple colluded with major record labels not to provide freemium for Apple Music users. But the European Commission still plans to monitor the music streaming industry for any illegal activity.