Montevideo, Uruguay. Picture Credit: Alicja Ziajowska
Spotify was on the verge of leaving Uruguay due to a copyright law revamp a couple of weeks ago. And now, without a last-minute reprieve, the popular streaming platform has officially confirmed its exit, stating that it’s being forced out of the South American country.
After months of threatening to leave and outlining concerns to legislators and government officials, Spotify publicly announced their decision to pull out of Uruguay. The streaming giant had been at odds with the legal pivot that required them to pay fees directly to rightsholders and creators for using their works.
Despite appealing against the law, Spotify has made it clear that they will phase out their service in Uruguay by February 2024. The streaming platform expressed concerns about diminishing earnings for artists and the potential negative impact on billions of fans.
However, AEPO-ARTIS has hailed the legislation as a win for the music industry, pushing back against negative comments from critics. The organization believes that legislative interventions like the one in Uruguay are necessary to enforce change and benefit performers and their collective management organizations. They urge industry players to stop spreading messages about the negative consequences of the new Uruguayan law, emphasizing the need for collaboration and progress.
