\t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tA topic of conversation for years, superfan streaming has picked up interest in recent years as labels and streaming platforms seek to offset slowing streaming growth in much of the world. Streaming revenue exploded during the pandemic and maintained momentum from platforms\u2019 price increases. That double-digit growth has faded lately, though. RIAA midyear figures <\/a>released on Tuesday (Sept. 9) showed that U.S. subscription revenue grew 6.3% from the prior-year period, while free streaming fell 2.9%. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tCompanies began teasing superfan tiers in 2024. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek went from a brief mention of the word \u201csuperfan\u201d last year to \u201cplaying around\u201d <\/a>with a prototype in February. And Universal Music Group (UMG) has been talking about superfan streaming tiers since last year; in March, UMG chief digital officer Michael Nash said the company was in talks with <\/a>all its streaming partners \u2014 not just Spotify \u2014 about super-premium tiers. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tGiven the vast number of superfans in existence, offering the same service to all subscribers is effectively leaving money on the table. There were approximately 820 million subscribers worldwide at the end of 2024, according to MIDiA Research<\/a>, and a 20% conversion rate would produce more than 160 million potential superfan subscribers. Notably, Luminate estimates that superfans \u2014 defined as people who follow an artist and their content in five or more ways \u2014 comprise 18% of U.S. music listeners and are more tolerant of price increases than the general population. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tBut after all the public statements, Spotify and other Western streaming platforms have yet to launch a superfan tier. In fact, the wait could be longer than expected. In August, Spotify chief business officer Alex Nordstr\u00f6m said as much when he emphasized the company\u2019s high standards for new product launches. \u201cWe\u2019re making progress, for sure, but it\u2019s taking time,\u201d he said. \u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tThe only superfan streaming product on the market comes from China\u2019s Tencent Music Entertainment (TME). Its Super VIP tier, which costs about five times as much as a standard subscription, offers high-quality audio, early access to concert tickets, exclusive digital album downloads and collectible merchandise. As of June 30, TME had more than 15 million Super VIP subscribers, accounting for 12% of all subscribers. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThere\u2019s a long list of remaining features that could find their way into Western streaming platforms\u2019 superfan products, numerous experts tell Billboard, including early access to music, concert tickets, merchandise, deep-from-the-vaults recordings, non-music content from artists and exclusive access to artists through virtual meet-and-greets with fans. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tMarket research firm MusicWatch has surveyed consumers about their interest in different streaming service features. While the survey did not ask about superfan tiers or a willingness to pay extra, the results showed that consumers are most interested in high-quality audio, early access to concert tickets through the streaming app, original version of songs and discounts on artist-related merchandise, according to MusicWatch principal Russ Crupnick. Exclusive music, early access to music and live streams also ranked high. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tSimilarly, MIDiA Research surveys have found that early access to music and concert tickets offered by a favorite artist is the most in-demand feature for a monthly subscription service. \u201cThis makes sense to me,\u201d says Tatiana Cirisano, MIDiA\u2019s vp of music strategy. \u201cIn a world where music and social media content from artists is ubiquitous and available for free, value is reassigned to getting exclusive or early access to things which are scarcer.\u201d Behind-the-scenes content scored worse, probably because fans are already awash in such videos on social media, she adds. \u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tFans have already shown they are willing to spend dearly on their favorite artists. In-demand concert tickets can easily range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, and an official T-shirt can easily fetch more than $50. Streaming, in comparison, costs approximately $130 annually. \u201cIRL is where most of the superfan value lies,\u201d says Vickie Nauman of music consultancy CrossBorderWorks. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tBut whether the perk is digital, physical or experiential, experts say that many possible components of a superfan streaming tier come with concerns, questions, logistical hurdles or practical problems.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tWhile streaming platforms can ingest huge amounts of music and cater to the interests of hundreds of millions of listeners, real-world perks don\u2019t scale as well, says Nauman.\u00a0A virtual meet-and-greet with an artist, for example, is a bespoke event \u2014 an awkward fit for a platform built on equal access to music. What\u2019s more, artists may not want to invest time into superfan perks. \u201cArtists are already supposed to engage fans on social media, apps, email, live and through labels,\u201d she says, \u201cand really they just want to be artists.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tMany of these possible superfan perks would also necessitate negotiation with new parties. For more than two decades, streaming platforms have had two main counter-parties: record labels and music publishers. The two sides negotiate licensing deals that allow platforms to offer unlimited access to huge catalogs of music. Offering perks related to merchandise, tickets, meet-and-greets or live streams would require negotiations with countless artist managers and require unique licensing agreements.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tMerchandise has a couple of advantages, though, says Andrew Stess, CEO of StessCo Consulting Group. \u201cI think that that\u2019s something that probably is easier to negotiate, and you could have global parity,\u201d he says. But concert tickets, a perk frequently given to credit card customers, would require more difficult negotiations and present logistical hurdles, Stess adds. \u201cIt\u2019s very difficult to do, especially globally. I think there would be a lot of one-offs,\u201d he says \u2014 as opposed to ticket offerings that satisfy a wide swath of fans. Giving fans the ability to remix tracks is an interesting possibility, he adds, and there are already numerous startups in the space. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tOffering superfan subscribers exclusive music, or early access to music, could also be problematic, as both would break with longstanding tradition. Streaming exclusives were once common but became rarer after Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge ended the practice<\/a> in 2016. Instead, record labels and streaming platforms typically have a single release date for new albums, which maximizes first-week performance and also limits any piracy that would arise from staggered release dates. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tGiving superfan subscribers early access to some recordings could also alienate some customers, notes Cirisano. \u201cThere\u2019s also the worry that current subscribers will be upset if they feel something is being taken away from them \u2014 giving higher-tier subscribers earlier access equates to current subscribers feeling like they have late\u00a0access.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tPotential problems with superfan offerings extend all the way to re-teaching people how to use the app. Consumers have grown accustomed to all-you-can-eat subscription platforms that integrate music, podcasts and sometimes audiobooks and videos. New features can be integrated into the apps, but consumers will be required to engage differently, \u201cso this is not a small lift,\u201d says Nauman.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t<\/p>\n![\"Spotify\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/spotify-app-2025-phone-a-billboard-1548.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"RIAA\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/RIAA-logo-billboard-1548.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n![\"dollar,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/dollar-bills-money-billboard-pro-1260.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Music](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/music-streaming-illustration-2025-billboard-1800.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
![\"Audience](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/superfans-concert-2024-billboard-pro-1260.jpg\")
<\/p>\n