Spotify Approaching 10M Paying Users, Revenue May Soon Surpass iTunes in Europe

MacRumors · Apr 25, 2014

Streaming music service Spotify is growing in the UK and soon may overtake iTunes as Europe's biggest digital music service, reports Music Week, which spoke to Spotify's European head of media relations Kevin Brown [Via The Guardian].

Spotify's growth in the UK is quickly accelerating with the service adding more than 1 million active users in the past four months, claims Brown. Many of these new customers are lucrative subscribers who are paying for the premium service instead of listening to the ad-supported, free version. Brown attributes this growth to Spotify's partnerships with Vodafone and the Sunday Times.

"Some of our partners are saying Spotify is now generating more revenue each month across Continental Europe than iTunes," Spotify's head of label relations in Europe, Kevin Brown, told industry site Music Week.

"Given that download sales are declining and Spotify is growing rapidly, particularly in the UK, it is only a matter of time before Spotify is bigger than iTunes across Europe as a whole."

Spotify last year had 24 million active users and 6 million paying users worldwide, but the company has not updated those figures to reflect this recent increase. Brown believes the company is close to surpassing 10 million paying users, and many believe the company is waiting for this milestone to announce updated membership numbers.

In the U.S., iTunes is the market leader for digital music downloads and iTunes Radio is number three for streaming music. In the streaming market, iTunes Radio holds an 8 percent market share, with Spotify holding 6 percent. The pair trail iHeartRadio (9 percent) and market leader Pandora, which dominates with 31 percent market share.

In an effort to standardize the experience across platforms, Spotify recently updated its iOS app with a darker theme as well as new fonts and icons that match the web and desktop versions. All platforms also received a new personalized Your Music section and an updated Browse feature.

Article Link: Spotify Approaching 10M Paying Users, Revenue May Soon Surpass iTunes in Europe

iPhone7s · Apr 25, 2014

Spotify has totally changed the way I listen to music. Let's hope they can continue the great work!

stuffradio · Apr 25, 2014

Apple and Spotify should announce availability in Canada instead.

keterboy · Apr 25, 2014

Me included

Best music app out there, hands down.

dBeats · Apr 25, 2014

But I don't think they make much money off of this revenue. I think their royalties are the highest due to the ability to choose specific songs. Spotify is not going to last much longer if they bleed cash, no matter how much revenue comes in.

Schranke · Apr 25, 2014

Well if apple moved faster with iTunes radio here in the EU more would maybe be using match to avoid commercials thus bringing up the income... just saying

cateye · Apr 25, 2014

iPhone7s said:
Spotify has totally changed the way I listen to music. Let's hope they can continue the great work!

Totally agreed. A Spotify subscription was the best music purchase I ever made.

justperry · Apr 25, 2014

It's just ridiculous the iPhone doesn't have normal radio built in, actually it has but Apple chooses not to use the radio which is on the chip, all Apple needs to do is switch on this radio and built an App for it.

We had/have 'normal' radio since ages, why do we need it over the internet.

Xenc · Apr 25, 2014

Spotify is my go-to app for music now. I hardly ever use iTunes or the Music app anymore. Apple really needs to step their game up in this field!

iPhone7s · Apr 25, 2014

cateye said:
Totally agreed. A Spotify subscription was the best music purchase I ever made.

I get it as part of my phone bill so never really have to worry about paying for it too

TsMkLg068426 · Apr 25, 2014

Wait until Amazon does the same like Spotify by the time Apple does the same they will be too late and even if Apple did Spotify format I hope it would not monthly for iTunes Match customers or some sort of deal. Also hopefully Apple will still allow to purchase music unlike Spotify.

One last thing hopefully one day there will be unlimited data plans this is on reason I worry about streaming music imagine while traveling it sure can eat a lot of data js.

jonnysods · Apr 25, 2014

Wonder if apple will just buy them.

eXan · Apr 25, 2014

justperry said:
We had/have 'normal' radio since ages, why do we need it over the internet.

Because "normal" radio sucks 99.9% of the time

theheadguy · Apr 25, 2014

It's always fun to look back at the naysayers before a service was popular. They spoke with such confidence

satcomer said:
It will be dead (rejected by the App Store) before the tech industry even finished reporting this story.

bbplayer5 said:
No way they will allow this. Apple wants a music monopoly.

satcomer said:
Vaporware still at this point! Come back when it is either rejected or is put on the App Store.

kas23 said:
Never in a millions years will Apple allow this into the App Store. In fact, it will be approved the same day a Netflix movie viewer is approved.

Griffter said:
This is exactly what Apple won't do. I would be seriously surprised if Apple allow this app, if they do though, there is no way it would ever be allowed to run as a background process...

NoExpectations said:
Can't blame Apple for rejecting this.....Why should they allow their competition to exploit there infrastructure?

G58 said:
Spotify: What a Horrible name for a business or service. I have no idea what it means in Swedish, and could care less. Why rent music??

SFStateStudent said:
Apple will send it tumbling in flames....

Zoolevation · Apr 25, 2014

Last year I cancelled my iTunes Match subscription and get a Spotify Premium subscription. Spotify is a really great service and love the social aspect of it. In combination with my Sonos its a golden standard for the (new) digital stream music age. Apple missed the boat with this one.

justperry · Apr 25, 2014

eXan said:
Because "normal" radio sucks 99.9% of the time

1. It's free.
2. It uses less battery.(On your phone)
3. There are plenty of good stations, that is, where I am.
4. Is greener, no server farm involved.
5. You'll never know what they play next.(Which is a good thing to me)
a.s.o.

andy9l · Apr 25, 2014

TsMkLg068426 said:
One last thing hopefully one day there will be unlimited data plans this is on reason I worry about streaming music imagine while traveling it sure can eat a lot of data js.

In what world does unlimited data NOT exist? Still not available in the US?!

My contract is <£15 per 30 days for truly unlimited 4G data, including unlimited tethering, and 2000 minutes, 5000 texts. No minimum term. Also free to use across Europe and in the US.

cosmic68 · Apr 25, 2014

andy9l said:
In what world does unlimited data NOT exist? Still not available in the US?!

My contract is <£15 per 30 days for truly unlimited 4G data, including unlimited tethering, and 2000 minutes, 5000 texts. No minimum term. Also free to use across Europe and in the US.

Ooh that's a goodun. Who are you with?

gazmat · Apr 25, 2014

I used to spend £10-20 per month on CDs that, give or take a few, I barely listened to more than once or twice.

I love Spotify, it's completely changed how I listen to music for the better. I now listen to hundreds of tracks every month, most of which, I would never have heard back in the bad old days of plastic discs.

I've been with them for a long time and, unless they do something ridiculous with pricing, content or access, will be happy to remain. £9.99 per month as my donation to music is OK with me.

goobot · Apr 25, 2014

eXan said:
Because "normal" radio sucks 99.9% of the time

Opinion.

gri · Apr 25, 2014

TsMkLg068426 said:
Wait until Amazon does the same like Spotify by the time Apple does the same they will be too late and even if Apple did Spotify format I hope it would not monthly for iTunes Match customers or some sort of deal. Also hopefully Apple will still allow to purchase music unlike Spotify.

One last thing hopefully one day there will be unlimited data plans this is on reason I worry about streaming music imagine while traveling it sure can eat a lot of data js.

No need to worry about the streaming abroad - you can use WiFi where available or activate offline mode for I think something like a total of 3333 tracks if you have the premium subscription. Only need to go online every 30 days to verify that you are still a subscriber. Used that in bella Italia and it worked well.

justperry · Apr 25, 2014

goobot said:
Opinion.

Cheers.

andy9l · Apr 25, 2014

cosmic68 said:
Ooh that's a goodun. Who are you with?

It's really good. I'm with Three on 'The One Plan' - but I'm paying the 12 month price for a 1 month contract after some arm-twisting!

Davmeister · Apr 25, 2014

andy9l said:
It's really good. I'm with Three on 'The One Plan' - but I'm paying the 12 month price for a 1 month contract after some arm-twisting!

Thats good but really be honest...its not free across Europe is it.

Assuming you're referring to Feel at Home. And tethering is limited to 2GB from now on for customers...

Shuri · Apr 25, 2014

TsMkLg068426 said:
One last thing hopefully one day there will be unlimited data plans this is on reason I worry about streaming music imagine while traveling it sure can eat a lot of data js.

Here in Germany, Telekom (T-mobile) offers a music flat, which is basically Spotify (you actually use it with the normal app), but you pay it directly through your phone bill and "only" 9.99

The big advantage is, that it doesn't use up your monthly traffic; it's unlimited for this app.

Other carriers also have these offers, but using other platforms, since the Spotify-Telekom deal is exclusive.

Spotify Approaching 10M Paying Users, Revenue May Soon Surpass iTunes in Europe

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