Spotify user base is 345 million strong and growing

Spotify has received 74 million active users every month over the past year. The new quarterly figures show this. In total, the platform, which has an ever-increasing podcast offer, has 345 million users. Most of them still listen for free.

At the same time, the bulk of the turnover of paying users comes by far. Sales in 2020 amounted to EUR 7.8 billion. The company also suffered all quarters loss, resulting in 293 million euros.

Focus on the Podcasts

Where Spotify began as a music service, in recent years it has been increasingly presented as an audioplatform. In addition to music, podcasts have an important role to play. “Looking at the behaviour of new users, we are convinced that podcasts will increase the number of subscribers,” says the company in an explanation of the figures.
Spotify user base is 345 million strong and growing
In 2019, it was reported to have spent $ 230 million (€191 million) to buy podcast publisher Gimlet Media. It is a way for the platform to distinguish itself more from the competition.

Last year, Joe Rogan’s popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, was added. Since 1 december, followers have had to open the Spotify app to listen to the interviews. However, the collaboration between Spotify and Rogan also led to criticism when he interviewed conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Apple and Amazon

In the music world, Spotify has for some time been faced with strong competition from Apple and Amazon, among others. These two parties are now also looking more closely at their own offer.

According to sources from Bloomberg, Apple is planning to launch a subscription service around its podcast offer this year, which will probably include its own productions. Amazon also bought a podcast company called Wondery.

Spotify and Apple are not very comfortable in other areas. In 2019, the Swedish audioplatform filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission alleging unfair competition. A year later, the European Commission announced an official investigation.

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