Spotify is a great tool for listeners that want to check out as much music as possible without potentially bringing the FBI to our doors. Once again however, we Americans forget how tough things can be in other countries that aren't as blessed as us. Nations such as Canada. Signs are good that the streaming service will soon be opening its doors to our Northern neighbors however. The site has begun sending e-mails to Canadian citizens to serve as a test audience for the product.
"Congratulations -- you're in!" reads an e-mail received. "You've been chosen to try Spotify in Canada before everyone else!"
Spotify first reported in June that it was actively looking to launch its services in Canada but has yet to define a date as to when such a thing would happen.
The Swedish company, like other streaming services, have been hesitant to enter the Canadian market due to strict royalty laws. In the United States, performers are paid a scant amount for every stream of a song that they receive on Spotify. For example, we're listening to the Steve Miller Band's Fly Like An Eagle album right now. The group will take home $0.00521 cents per song we stream, totaling about $.06 cents in earnings if we listen to the entire album. Canada is stronger in defending performer's rights however, and has sought up to 45 percent of streaming company revenues, a number at which companies aren't willing to play.
A more recent decision from the Copyright Board of Canada rules that companies should pay around ten cents per 1,000 streams, or roughly one cent a stream. That's nearly twice as much as Spotify is forced to pay in the United States, but still a rate at which it can afford to play.
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