The Sweden-based streaming-music service announced today that it’s hit 15 million paying subscribers globally, and that it’s total user base (i.e including those who use its free service, which involves listening to ads) now stands at 60 million.
In other words, since Taylor Swift, arguably the most popular pop star on the planet right now, decided to withdraw her entire catalog from the service in November, Spotify has increased both paying and total users by 20%.
It’s difficult to compare Spotify’s growth rates with other internet companies because it releases user data at infrequent intervals. But 20% growth since November, and 50% growth since May least year seems fairly attractive. And it still has plenty of room to grow, because streaming music is not anywhere near mainstream yet. (For example, in total users, Spotify is about one fifth of the size of Twitter.)
The growth in both free and paying users suggests Swift’s shock decision, and the huge media storm that accompanied it, actually did more good than harm, by creating awareness of streaming music in general, and Spotify in particular. The CEO of Spotify’s rival Rdio, Anthony Bay, acknowledged as much in an interview with Quartz in December. “I think it is going to be good for the industry long-term,” he told me.
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http://qz.com/325085/its-official-sp...r-swift-proof/
