The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) has released a holiday greeting card taking aim at Spotify's controversial bundling practices, featuring a clever "unbundled joy" message amid ongoing legal disputes.

The card shows NMPA staff in winter gear on one side, noting it's "the only acceptable way to bundle this holiday season," while the reverse displays the same group without winter clothing, "wishing you unbundled joy in 2025."

This pointed message references Spotify's recent U.S. bundling reclassifications, which have significantly impacted mechanical royalty payments. By adding audiobook access to existing music subscriptions, Spotify has reclassified approximately 99% of U.S. subscriber accounts as bundles, compared to Apple Music's 27% and Amazon Music's 20%.

The reclassification has major financial implications:

• Bundled subscription revenue is treated differently under Phonorecords IV
• Publishers and songwriters receive lower mechanical royalties
• Spotify achieves substantial cost savings
• Music-only tiers are reportedly difficult to find

Legal developments include:

• The MLC filed a lawsuit against Spotify in May
• Both parties recently requested discovery extension into June 2025
• No injunction is currently in place, allowing Spotify's bundle classifications to continue

NMPA head David Israelite confirmed that Spotify's ad-supported tiers remain unbundled, though the organization continues to oppose the paid subscription bundling classifications.

Looking ahead, industry observers are monitoring:

• The ongoing MLC v. Spotify lawsuit
• Potential bundling moves by other streaming platforms
• Spotify's expansion into non-music content, including user-uploaded videos
• The platform's hiring of a trust and safety policy manager for government takedown requests

The dispute highlights growing tensions between music rightsholders and streaming platforms over revenue allocation and content bundling strategies.

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