Apple Music has increased its prices.
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The subscription prices have increased for student, family, and individual plans in the US, UK, and throughout Europe.
Apple Music App
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Apple has just raised the subscription costs for its music streaming service. Individual plans have increased by one dollar, and the student plan has seen the same rise. The family plan price has jumped by $3, making it $19.99 in the US. The features included with each plan remain the same.
What will I be paying now?
For new subscribers, the updated prices take effect immediately. Existing subscribers will start paying the higher rates once their current billing cycle concludes. Here are the new prices that have been updated on Apple’s website:
Apple
The previous prices for the music streaming subscription are as follows:
Apple
Prices have also risen for users in the UK and other European countries. Below is a comparison table showing the price changes in the US:
Plan Old Price (per month) New Price (per month)
Individual $10.99 $11.99
Family $16.99 $19.99
Student $5.99 $6.99
Why the increase?
Apple did not elaborate much on the specifics behind this price hike, but a brief statement shared with MusicBusinessWorldwide provides some insight. "Due to increased licensing costs, Apple Music is adjusting its subscription prices starting today," the company announced. This isn't an unexpected development.
In recent years, music streaming services like Spotify and Amazon Music have raised their subscription costs multiple times. Spotify also increased its prices earlier this year for individual and family plans, which now begin at $12.99 per month. Amazon Music saw price hikes last year, reaching $11 per month for Prime members and $12 for non-Prime users.
Rising licensing fees are not the only significant issue for streaming platforms. In the last few years, AI-generated music has posed challenges for streaming services and artists, the latter of whom are already advocating for better compensation from these companies. While platforms like Tidal have adopted a stricter approach, music labels are now pushing to establish an industry-wide AI labeling system, allowing listeners to choose whether to stream AI-generated songs or opt for alternatives.
Nadeem is the Managing Editor at Digital Trends.
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Apple Music has increased its prices.
Apple has recently increased the starting price for its music streaming service, which is now set at $11.99 in the United States.
