As Apple Music Pushes for Dolby Atmos, Audio Engineers Say Business Is Booming
The streaming platforms are stoking a debate over the merits of stereo versus spatial sound
Stickers with Dolby Laboratories Inc.'s logo
Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Hey, everyone, welcome back to Soundbite. This week we’ve got a fun one about the push for Dolby Atmos-mixed music altering the jobs of audio engineers. Plus, another podcast lawsuit has surfaced. Reach me through email, and as always, if you haven’t yet subscribed to this newsletter, please do so here . Tell a friend to sign up, too!
Earlier this week, I reported on Apple Music’s plans to incentivize record labels and artists to mix their music with Dolby Atmos, a format that envelops listeners in sound in an attempt to mimic what a song feels like when performed in-person. Under the new plan, Apple will more heavily weigh streams of songs that offer an Atmos version, possibly leading to higher payouts for artists who lean into the format.