By Brian Ma
I personally use Spotify; I enjoy its premium version, free trial and lists of popular and upcoming songs. As for Hulu, the convenience of watching animated series and keeping up with weekly episodes of my favorite shows has been a positive service for me for quite a long time. Music, films, television shows and other entertainment mediums fascinate and educate me in a myriad of ways.
As each year comes, advances surface in the entertainment and technology industries. There are certainly stories of collaborations, partnerships and deals between high-profile companies. Nowadays, listening to music is done via streaming services, rather than using compact discs and cassettes. Vinyls aren’t a lost art, but Spotify, Pandora and other streaming platforms help store, organize and filter the type of music you want to listen to. Online video subscription platforms such as Hulu and Netflix provide viewers with premium content, new releases and a variety of categories and genres. The pastime of going to movie theaters and watching programs on a physical television set is not lost, but is now less common. The era of viewing shows on the computer has spiked over the few years these video streaming services began. But what if I told you that Spotify, currently the most popular and most used music-streaming service, is teaming up with Hulu, an extremely popular video-subscription platform?
This type of partnership has never occurred before. The merger between two premier entertainment services will not only surge revenue and compete with top-dogs like Pandora and Netflix, but the loyal following in both music and television will likely soar. Instead of paying for one music platform and one streaming service you can have the convenience of completing both tasks for one price. I adamantly support this partnership because it will widen horizons for both new and current consumers. They will have a chance to discover new artists and scroll for the newest television show for the same price.
An added bonus to its convenience and newer outlook is its affordable price. The bundle will initially be available to U.S. college undergraduates for $4.99 a month. The package will grant access to Hulu’s ad-supported “Limited Commercials” video streaming plan and Spotify’s full music-streaming catalog without ads. Spotify’s student plan is already priced at $4.99 a month, meaning existing student subscribers will effectively gain access to Hulu’s content, at no additional cost. Hulu typically charges $7.99 a month for its “Limited Commercials” plan. Thanks to this partnership, college students, like myself, will save a good amount of allowance and enjoy high-quality music and shows without hassle. Instead of having multiple accounts for Netflix, Pandora, Spotify and Hulu, I can just rely on the Spotify-Hulu platform.
How will this affect Netflix, arguably the most popular video-subscription service, and Pandora, “the best music streaming service for passive listening?” Well, the inclusion of both a music-streaming ability and video watching option definitely condenses and eliminates inconvenience. With this merger, people will not have to keep track of several accounts, with an affordable price. Netflix charges $7.99 per month for its cheapest service after the free trial ends, while Pandora charges $5 per month for ad-free radio and $10 per month for ad-free streaming. You will only have to spend $4.99 as a college undergrad for the entire bundle. Last but not least, Spotify is a monster-company which expertises in strategic planning; they’re an iconic brand in music streaming and a proven leader in engaging young consumers. Because of their proven track records and continued success in the market, the combination will be a tough opponent to compete with in the ever-changing technological and entertainment-driven world. Even if I’m dedicated to Netflix, Apple Music or Pandora, it will be amazing to have access to a service that provides two of my favorite hobbies.
Brian Ma, FCRH ’20, is a communication and media studies major from Fort Lee, New Jersey.
