Apple is focusing on spatial audio and paying more to artists

Apple is fully committed to spatial audio for its music streaming service. Multiple reports describe that the Apple Music provider wants to invest in this type of recording. The company also wants to pay more royalties to artists who provide spatial versions of their music.

In a normal stereo mix, sound can come from two sides: left and right. There are many possible directions in a Dolby Atmos mix. Whether the sound is coming from the top left, bottom right, behind or in front of you: with Dolby Atmos you can hear the difference in direction.

10% more royalties

Apple Music, along with Tidal, is the only streaming service on which you can listen to Dolby Atmos mixes. The company now wants to focus more on this by ensuring more spatial audio tracks are available. To encourage artists to post Dolby Atmos mixes online, Apple wants to Pay more. Apple wants to offer up to 10% more royalties to artists with spatial audio tracks. This is understandable: spatial blends are much more difficult and therefore cost a little more.

Not everyone can enjoy spatial audio yet. Apple also seems to have thought about this: listeners don't have to listen to spatial audio to earn extra money, spatial audio simply needs to be available. In this way, Apple wants to make sure that artists are properly compensated for the investment they have made in spatial audio.

Since 2021

Apple now offers many spatial audio songs. The music streaming platform has been supporting the most advanced form of music since 2021. Apple provides numbers on how many tracks now support spatial audio. However, the numbers are on the rise: There are now 5,000% more spatial audio songs in Apple Music than there were at launch.

Want to listen to spatial audio elsewhere? Then you have to rely on Amazon Prime Music, Tidal, or Deezer services. Spotify doesn't offer spatial audio or Hi-Fi options.