Snoop Dogg Ditches Spotify for Web3 Platform Tune.fm

Snoop Dogg’s Shift to Tune.fm

The hip-hop mogul Snoop Dogg has officially partnered with Tune.fm, a blockchain-based music service, indicating a significant shift away from traditional streaming platforms following his public dispute with Spotify over royalties.

Snoop Dogg will serve as a “face” of the Web3 streaming platform Tune.fm, launching this collaboration with his new single, Space Party. The rapper has also signaled his intention to migrate more of his extensive catalog, including Death Row material, to Tune.fm, distancing himself from platforms like Spotify. He stated in an interview with Billboard: “I’m no longer dealing with Spotify, I’m only on Tune.fm.”

Music Availability and Streaming Dispute

Snoop Dogg currently enjoys nearly 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify, where his classic albums remain available.

When asked whether all of Snoop Dogg’s music would remain on Spotify, a representative replied: “So far, his other music is still on DSP, but Snoop will signal that it will change.” This announcement comes roughly three months after the rapper publicly criticized Spotify’s payment structure, revealing he earned less than $45,000 for over a billion streams on the platform.

“I’m no longer dealing with Spotify, I’m only on Tune.fm.”

Snoop Dogg

“They just sent me a little money from Spotify after I achieved over a billion streams. I questioned how much it amounted to, and it wasn’t even $45,000,” the artist told Business Untitled podcast in December.

Spotify has contested these figures, with a spokesperson mentioning to TMZ: “It’s well documented that a billion streams on Spotify generate millions of dollars for rights holders. Unfortunately, Snoop’s payments didn’t reflect that.”

In 2022, Snoop Dogg acquired MNRK Music Group, which houses iconic names in hip-hop, including Dr. Dre and 2Pac. He has plans to transform Death Row Records into an NFT music label and recently collaborated with TikTok to return the Death Row catalog to the platform through the TikTok independent distribution platform, SoundOn.

Tune.fm and the Future of Music Streaming

With his partnership with Tune.fm, Snoop Dogg is set to not just stream his catalog but also create unique fan experiences, including private events and merchandise drops. Tune.fm advertises itself as a decentralized alternative to traditional streaming services, facilitating instant payments and offering a fully tradable cryptocurrency called Jam.

Tune.fm states: “Unlike large streaming platforms, where artists wait months for royalty payments, Tune.fm provides real-time micro-payments for every second a song is played.” The company has raised $50 million in funding and aims to transform the music model, promoting more direct compensation for artists.

Furthermore, Tune.fm has hinted at discussions with major labels and distributors to expand its content offerings. According to Billboard, potential collaboration partners include Universal Music Group and Sony Music.