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How Spotify Almost Sold To Google For $1 Billion, Plus New Apple Rumors

45 points by charlief 16y ago

TamDenholm 16y ago
I really hope Apple dont buy Spotify. Spotify made me stop pirating music, I'm now a legitimate paying customer. I detest itunes with the heat of a nova. Google would be the lesser of two evils but i'd rather they remain independent, become profitable (if they arent already, i've no idea) and continue to do the great work they're doing right now.
jacquesm 16y ago
That would be a pretty impressive exit. The reason why it didn't sell reminds me of Dalton Caldwell's startup school talk, if you haven't seen it yet and intend to do a music startup (or are doing one) you probably should go and watch it: http://www.justin.tv/startupschool/b/272178844 http://www.justin.tv/startupschool/b/272178844
jw84 16y ago
Nice of Spotify to tip off TC to clinch this buyout.
- jacquesm 16y ago
  I doubt anybody at spotify is happy with this and it could very easily backfire as a strategy. Odds would have it this is not an 'authorized' leak. (we used to call that a press-release).
- philwelch 16y ago
  I never thought leaks clinched deals. I always thought leaks queered deals.
  - mahmud 16y ago
    Wow! didn't know "queer" was a verb.
    - philwelch 16y ago
      "To queer the deal" is one of my favorite idioms. It's not really a verb outside of that.
alexyoung 16y ago
I'd rather Spotify were independent, because someone like Google owning it might discourage potentially innovative competitors from springing up.
BillMartin 16y ago
Spotify's business model is based upon a collection of dubious contracts with record labels that have nothing to gain from spotify. That is amazing. Is it me or does anyone realise that spotify is napster all over again? I mean come on even Sean Parker is on board. lol.
- jacquesm 16y ago
  I must have missed something, I can't find any indication that the contracts mentioned are 'dubious', the only thing that seems to be the case is that they are so good that if they're not part of the deal Google does not think they can re-negotiate them on such favorable terms. How does that make the contracts 'dubiuos'? To me that indicates they are of questionable legality, that does not seem to be the case here.
  - BillMartin 16y ago
    In terms of longevity.
ladon86 16y ago
If Apple acquired Spotify they could kiss those streaming contracts goodbye. There's no way the labels would risk handing even more power to Apple, paying only micropennies per play, when they're still kicking themselves over the near monopoly Apple grabbed the first time round.

45 points by charlief 16y ago

I really hope Apple dont buy Spotify. Spotify made me stop pirating music, I'm now a legitimate paying customer. I detest itunes with the heat of a nova. Google would be the lesser of two evils but i'd rather they remain independent, become profitable (if they arent already, i've no idea) and continue to do the great work they're doing right now.

jacquesm 16y ago

That would be a pretty impressive exit. The reason why it didn't sell reminds me of Dalton Caldwell's startup school talk, if you haven't seen it yet and intend to do a music startup (or are doing one) you probably should go and watch it: http://www.justin.tv/startupschool/b/272178844 http://www.justin.tv/startupschool/b/272178844

jw84 16y ago

Nice of Spotify to tip off TC to clinch this buyout.

jacquesm 16y ago
I doubt anybody at spotify is happy with this and it could very easily backfire as a strategy. Odds would have it this is not an 'authorized' leak. (we used to call that a press-release).
philwelch 16y ago
I never thought leaks clinched deals. I always thought leaks queered deals.
- mahmud 16y ago
  Wow! didn't know "queer" was a verb.
  - philwelch 16y ago
    "To queer the deal" is one of my favorite idioms. It's not really a verb outside of that.

alexyoung 16y ago

I'd rather Spotify were independent, because someone like Google owning it might discourage potentially innovative competitors from springing up.

BillMartin 16y ago

Spotify's business model is based upon a collection of dubious contracts with record labels that have nothing to gain from spotify. That is amazing. Is it me or does anyone realise that spotify is napster all over again? I mean come on even Sean Parker is on board. lol.

jacquesm 16y ago
I must have missed something, I can't find any indication that the contracts mentioned are 'dubious', the only thing that seems to be the case is that they are so good that if they're not part of the deal Google does not think they can re-negotiate them on such favorable terms. How does that make the contracts 'dubiuos'? To me that indicates they are of questionable legality, that does not seem to be the case here.
- BillMartin 16y ago
  In terms of longevity.

ladon86 16y ago

If Apple acquired Spotify they could kiss those streaming contracts goodbye. There's no way the labels would risk handing even more power to Apple, paying only micropennies per play, when they're still kicking themselves over the near monopoly Apple grabbed the first time round.