Earlier this year, Starbucks announced that they would stop selling physical CDs in their retail stores. In an attempt to stay in the music game, the coffee conglomerate announced on Monday that it will form a partnership with music streaming giant Spotify to create what they call “a next-generation music eco system.”
Beginning this Fall, Spotify will be the primary source of music in the 7,000 Starbuck’s owned retail stores across the country. Locations in Canada and the UK will follow suit soon after. Any customer that takes part in the My Starbucks Rewards program will have a chance to earn additional points by signing up for a Spotify premium account. Spotify will also curate Starbucks-themed playlists for users so that you can get your fill of acoustically-driven adult contemporary music whenever you want, if you’re into that sort of thing. Additionally, all Starbucks employees will be treated to a free premium Spotify subscription, in order to assist with the music played throughout the stores. Your neighborhood barista is about to become the newest DJ on the block.
Despite the recent negative publicity from Jay-Z and other musicians, Spotify seems to be the clear winner in the music streaming service competition. Starbucks is a huge name to add to a growing list of partnerships with companies like Uber and BMW, and this list is more than likely to grow. Just as Starbucks already has, Spotify will take over the world soon enough.
– Marisa Frydman (@musicalmarisa)