#TheWeeklyRoundUp - 08.09.23

Spotify to offer premium subscribers free access to audiobooks (Complete Music Update) Spotify is planning to offer its premium subscribers free access to some audiobooks as it seeks to establish itself as a provider of book content alongside music and podcasts. According to the Wall Street Journal, the streaming service has been developing a pilot programme in partnership with major US book publishers via which it will offer premium subscribers access to up to 20 hours of audiobooks per month at no additional cost. Currently, audiobooks are available on the Spotify platform on a pay-to-access model. However, within the app it's a pretty clunky experience, mainly because of the limitations on in-app purchases caused by Apple and Google's app store rules, with Spotify not wanting to use the Apple or Google commission-charging transaction systems. Spotify has repeatedly told its investors that the potential profit margins on podcasts and audiobooks are better than music, which is why it has been investing heavily in growing those sides of its business. Although doing so has been costly and has therefore negatively impacted short-term profitability. On audiobooks, it is going up against big bad Amazon. The WSJ also reports that Spotify execs have been trying to persuade book publishers that they too have an interest in breaking Amazon's hold over the audiobook market, which is why they should participate in this pilot project and help convince the world that Spotify is also a place to go for book content.

---

Plans and nominees for 29th edition of Samas to be announced soon (City Press) While last year's 28th edition of the SA Music Awards (Samas), which took place at the Sun City Resort in North West, was mired in controversy, as various artists, including Grammy Award-winning star Zakes Bantwini, Makhadzi and many others, decried the ceremony and complaining about the alleged ill-treatment they received from the organisers, the 29th instalment of the once-prestigious ceremony looms. During an interview with City Press, Lesley Mofokeng, the spokesperson for the Samas, conceded that there were issues that needed to be ironed out with artists, adding: "We are attending to all the issues. "I can confirm that in a week, we will announce plans for Samas 29. They are happening and everyone will know more details soon." Although he didn't want to be drawn further to the drama that the awards had attracted from artists, he only quipped that they had "spoken to the parties involved". An artist manager, who didn't want to be identified, confirmed that he had already submitted one of his artist's work for consideration for this year and that he was waiting to see "how they will surprise us this year and what they have in store for us". Last year, I submitted one of my artists for nomination, but sadly, they didn't make the list, so I'm waiting to see how things will pan out this time, considering the fact that some artists were not happy with last year's ceremony.

He urged the organisers to resolve whatever issues they had, "so that artists could celebrate their success without hiccups"