Overview

• Spotify and Kobalt unveiled a multiyear direct licensing agreement designed to deliver greater flexibility, efficiency, value and protections for U.S. songwriters.
• The Kobalt agreement is Spotify’s third major publisher pact in 2025 following deals with Universal Music Group’s UMPG in January and Warner Music Group’s Warner Chappell in February.
• Kobalt CEO Laurent Hubert said the partnership reaffirms the publisher’s commitment to fair songwriter compensation and embraces progressive licensing models.
• Public details and financial terms of the agreement remain undisclosed, highlighting ongoing calls for transparency in streaming royalty structures.
• The deal follows industry criticism of Spotify’s audiobook bundling strategy, which the National Music Publishers Association said resulted in $230 million in lost publisher royalties last year.