Warner to Stop Licensing Music for Free Streaming
By Chris Weiss
Today’s bad news for lovers of music streaming and all things with a price tag of $0–Warner Music has expressed its discontent with free music streaming. The company indicated that will end licensing on its music for free streaming services such as Last.fm and Spotify.
In a pretty clear statement denouncing streaming, Warner chief Edgar Bronfman Jr said: “Free streaming services are clearly not net positive for the industry and as far as Warner Music is concerned will not be licensed.”
Warner did not make it clear whether it will pull music from existing services or simply stop making deals in the future. Bronfan says that Warner’s new strategy will be to promote paid services–so in other words, he doesn’t want Warner music to be especially popular with with actual music listeners.
It remains to be seen if the other major labels will follow in Warner’s path. [via BBC] [Photo: Elmo Alves]
