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K-pop songs to return to Spotify after new agreement with Kakao M

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Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/life/03/01/iu-epik-high.jpg"/><figcaption>Soloist IU and hip hop group Epik High were among some of the artists whose music disappeared from Spotify after the streaming service’s licensing deal with distributor Kakao M lapsed in early March. <em>Instagram: @dlwlrma/ @ blobyblo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA -- (UPDATE) Songs by K-pop artists are coming back to Spotify after the Swedish streaming service renewed a licensing agreement with Korean music distributor Kakao M.</p><p>In a statement sent Thursday to ABS-CBN News, representatives from Spotify and Kakao M said both companies came to an agreement, allowing music content from the Korean distributor to become available again on the streaming platform, which has 345 million listeners globally.</p><p>The spokesperson from Spotify also said songs from Kakao M are now available on its South Korean service, which was not the case when it first entered the Korean streaming market in February.</p><p>“We are pleased that Kakao Entertainment’s content and artists are back on Spotify, allowing our 345M+ global listeners across 170 countries to once again enjoy the music they love,” the Spotify spokesperson said.</p><p>“Through its diverse partnerships around the world including Spotify, Kakao Entertainment hopes that music lovers around the world can easily access its artists’ and music content to enjoy K-pop,” the spokesperson from Kakao M said.</p><p>On March 1, hundreds of songs by singers under Kakao M disappeared from the service after the lapse of a licensing deal between the two parties, prompting some K-pop fans to cancel their premium Spotify membership.</p><p>Acts affected by the issue include IU, Epik High, Seventeen, GFriend, Nu’est, Mamamoo, Monsta X, WJSN, Loona, Golden Child, The Boyz, Momoland, and Pentagon, among others.</p><p>Spotify launched in South Korea on February 1 in a highly anticipated rollout in the competitive streaming market dominated by Melon, which is run by Kakao M.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/03/01/21/why-hundreds-of-k-pop-songs-disappeared-from-spotify">Why hundreds of K-pop songs disappeared from Spotify</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/03/02/21/k-pop-fans-cancel-spotify-memberships-after-songs-disappear">K-pop fans cancel Spotify memberships after songs disappear</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-zASZ2UZtxs?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Songs by K-pop artists are coming back to Spotify after the Swedish streaming service renewed a licensing agreement with Korean music distributor Kakao M.</p>

Songs by K-pop artists are coming back to Spotify after the Swedish streaming service renewed a licensing agreement with Korean music distributor Kakao M.

K-pop songs to return to Spotify after new agreement with Kakao M

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K-pop songs to return to Spotify after new agreement with Kakao M

Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 11, 2021 11:36 AM PHT

|

Updated March 11, 2021 03:47 PM PHT

Read More:

K-pop

Spotify

Kakao M

Kakao Entertainment

streaming

music streaming

Hallyu

IU

Epik High

Seventeen

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