Apple has told record labels and music artists that it will pay up to 10% more in royalties to provide tracks in Spatial Audio. The news came in an update sent to partners on Monday seen by Music Business Worldwide.
A December Bloomberg report said Apple would this year begin prioritizing 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.
9to5Mac reports that Apple says the 10% bonus is a reward for artists delivering the content, and also compensation to recognize the additional time and effort required to mix in Dolby Atmos.
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.