Spotify continues to be the most popular music streaming service in the world growing 24% over the past year to 155 million paid subscribers. However as the subscriber count rises, so too does the amount Spotify must pay in royalties. This might be why the company has been focusing on exclusive original content such as podcasts for which they don’t have to share revenue.
Meanwhile, the box office continues to recover from the pandemic, at least in China which set new records over the Lunar New Year holiday, proving that moviegoers actually will return to the cinemas when given the opportunity. Hollywood is rejoicing, even if North America and Europe is still six months away from getting back to normal.
Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including the BBC’s new streaming service, Roku’s surprise profit and this year’s Writers Guild Award nominees.

Chinese New Year Box Office Hits $1.2B, Sets Record High Over Holiday Period
https://deadline.com/2021/02/chinese-new-year-2021-box-office-record-detective-chinatown-3-hi-mom-covid-1234695261/
More Hollywood Studios Start to Conceal Box Office Grosses
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/more-hollywood-studios-start-to-conceal-box-office-grosses
England to Begin Easing Lockdown From March 8, Cinemas to Reopen in May
https://variety.com/2021/politics/global/england-lockdown-easing-march-8-1234912085/
WGA Awards 2021 Nominations Revealed: ‘Palm Springs,’ ‘Borat 2,’ ‘Sound of Metal,’ and More
https://www.indiewire.com/2021/02/wga-awards-nominations-nomadland-mank-oscars-1234617133/
Roku Beats Q4 Earnings Estimates With Record Revenue, Swings to Quarterly Profit
https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/roku-q4-2020-beats-estimates-record-revenue-1234910714/
BBC Select Streaming Service Debuts in North America
https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/bbc-select-streaming-service-debuts-in-north-america
Daft Punk Break Up After 28 Years With Eight-Minute ‘Epilogue’ Video
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/9529272/daft-punk-break-up/
Time’s Up Slams Notion Of Brett Ratner Comeback: “We Have Not – And Will Not – Forget”
https://deadline.com/2021/02/times-up-slams-notion-of-brett-ratner-comeback-we-have-not-and-will-not-forget-1234697791/
Spotify to Launch HiFi Option Later This Year, Paid Out $5 Billion in Royalties in 2020
https://variety.com/2021/music/news/spotify-hifi-5-billion-royalties-1234912311/
Joe and Anthony Russo’s AGBO Signs Spotify Podcast Deal