# Apple Music raises subscription fees due to rising licensing costs Price increases attributed to higher costs of licensing artists' music - **Source:** [Cult of Mac](https://brifing.si/source/7e2968d9-bc24-4286-8f9e-146807f06336) - **Published:** 2026-07-17 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/0ba8b313-de6a-43c9-8e96-7793a5b9570f ## Apple Music price hike Apple has increased monthly fees for all Apple Music subscription tiers. The company cited rising costs of licensing artists' music as the reason behind the decision. Additionally, prices for most Apple One bundles, which include Apple Music, have also gone up. ## User reaction Apple's latest price increase may further strain users already struggling with inflation and rising monthly fees. While CEO Tim Cook's focus on services has been successful, this move could lead to dissatisfaction among subscribers. ## Artist payouts Apple Music is one of the highest-paying platforms for artists. According to a 2024 report, Apple pays $6.2 per 1,000 streams, while its main rival Spotify pays only $3. This helps position Apple as an artist-friendly platform. ## Premium features Beyond offering access to over 100 million songs, Apple Music continues to add premium features like lossless audio, Spatial Audio, and Apple Music Sing. A dedicated classical music app also enhances the user experience. ## New pricing In the US, Apple Music's individual plan now costs $11.99, while the student plan is $6.99. The family plan has increased to $19.99. Apple One's family and premier plans have risen to $27.95 and $39.95 respectively, with the individual plan remaining unchanged. ## Market impact Apple Music's price increase could cause ripples in the music streaming market. While still more affordable than Spotify's premium plans, Apple's lack of a free, ad-supported tier might deter some users. However, premium features and artist-friendly policies keep Apple competitive. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.cultofmac.com/news/apple-music-apple-one-price-hikes — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._