Spotify and Warner Music Make a Deal by September
Spotify's music streaming company is close to negotiating a new license agreement with Warner Music Inc - the latest big bargain with copyright music they need before attempting to appear on stock markets in the US, sources familiar with situation, informed Reuters.
The estimated USD 13 billion Swedish company currently plans to direct listing on the New York stock market later this year or early 2018, sources from the agency said.
Both sides are positive that the deal could be signed in September, as important issues have already been negotiated, such as ensuring Spotify's reporting losses of a more favorable revenue split, in exchange for some new albums to be available for paying subscribers.
The exact division of revenue and the volume of the potential guaranteed advance payment to the studio, the home of artists like Ed Sheeron, Bruno Mars and Kylie Minogue, have not yet been agreed.
"Negotiations are at a crossroads," says one of the sources, not wanting to be named because the talks continue. "There are still a number of key issues that remain to be negotiated. If we deal with these issues, it can be a very fast deal, if not - the deal will remain stalled, "
Others believe that by the end of summer the deal could be concluded. "Given the way the negotiations are progressing, I would be surprised if we do not have a deal in September," another source said.
The Swedish Spotify in less than a decade has become the most popular streaming music service in the world, but its financial sustainability depends on its ability to contract licensing music with less burdensome fees.
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