Apple Music will begin offering royalty incentives to artists and record labels that make their content available in Spatial Audio, reports Bloomberg.
Bloomberg says its sources (who are “familiar with the matter,” of course) tell it that Apple will prioritize streams of songs mixed in Dolby Atmos technology in its streaming calculations starting next year. This change will result in Apple paying higher royalty payments for artists and labels that adopt and expand Spatial Audio technology in their catalogs.
Apple will not require listeners to listen to the Spatial Audio version of a song for artists to be eligible for the added benefits, as long as the tracks are available in Dolby Atmos format. The new Apple Music policy has not yet been publicly announced.
Apple Music introduced Spatial Audio support in May 2021, using Dolby Atmos technology. Spatial Audio allows artists to create immersive audio experiences for their fans with true multidimensional sound and clarity. In February 2021, more than 50% of Apple Music subscribers listened to Spatial Audio music content.
(Via MacRumors)