Tag: europe

Spotify and Youth Music Open Doors for Future Artists

The music industry depends on fresh ideas, bold voices, and emerging talent. Yet across the U.K., too many young musicians lack the space to develop their craft, leaving a critical gap in the evolution of new sounds and future careers.

The need for creative spaces has never been more urgent. Between 2010 and 2023, more than 1,200 youth centers closed across the U.K.—an average of one every week. These losses hit underserved communities the hardest, stripping young artists of the safe, supportive environments they need to grow.

To help change this trajectory, Spotify is strengthening our commitment to youth well-being and creativity through the Open Doors Fund, part of our ongoing partnership with Youth Music. Backed by Spotify’s Creator Equity Fund, the initiative provides essential funding and opportunities to empower the next generation of creators—and ensure the spaces that shape them not only survive, but thrive.

Championing youth spaces across the U.K.

To amplify this effort and spark national conversation, Spotify and Youth Music have launched a multichannel campaign that brings the realities facing youth spaces into sharp focus through powerful storytelling and public engagement.

Our hero video captures a week inside a youth center, showcasing the creativity and community these spaces make possible. Acclaimed artist and advocate Kojey Radical dropped in to spend time with Girl Grind UK, a youth music space where young women are building confidence, community, and creative careers, to witness the impact of these spaces firsthand.

Across London, out-of-home placements amplify youth voices in public spaces, while a coordinated social media campaign encourages audiences to engage, share, and take action.

The campaign also lives on-platform through Open Doors, a bespoke playlist curated with Kojey. Featuring both established and emerging U.K. artists who began their journeys in grassroots spaces, the playlist celebrates the vital role these centers play in nurturing talent and calls for their continued protection.

Spotify London welcomes the next generation of creators

As part of our commitment to the Open Doors campaign, Spotify brought the mission to life within our own walls, hosting an inspiring Open Doors Day at our London office. The event welcomed young people from 15 youth centers supported by the Open Doors Fund, offering a space for connection and creativity.

The urgency behind this work is clear. Youth Music warns that within the next decade, young people across eight U.K. regions could lose access to vital music projects. Chronic underfunding—made worse by the cost-of-living crisis—has pushed many community spaces to the brink. Today, two in five (41%) grassroots youth music projects are at risk of closure, a sharp 17% rise since 2024.

“These spaces are the heart of local communities, giving young people a place to feel connected, inspired, and empowered,” said Matt Griffiths, CEO, Youth Music. “With Spotify’s support, we can give these vital spaces a lifeline, ensuring they continue to serve young people for years to come.”

Open Doors Day was designed to equip the next generation with real tools for success. Through hands-on workshops, behind-the-scenes industry insights, and conversations with the Spotify and Youth Music teams, attendees gained invaluable guidance on building creative careers. The day also featured special appearances by award-winning artist Guvna B and Grammy-nominated songwriter Carla Marie Williams MBE, who shared their journeys and inspired young creators to keep pushing forward.

Empowering generations to come

The Open Doors Fund is about more than just keeping the lights on. It’s about lifting up young people, fostering creativity, and providing pathways into the music industry. A staggering 54% of Youth Music’s funded partners have a waiting list of young people eager to participate, but a lack of funds prevents them from doing so. 

Spotify and Youth Music are committed to extending the Open Doors Fund into 2026, ensuring that even more youth spaces receive the funding they need to continue supporting young people. 

“The Open Doors Fund isn’t just about preserving spaces—it’s about powering what’s possible,” said Kristin Jarett, Social Impact Lead, Spotify. “When young people have the tools, the space, and the support, they create the future of music. We’re committed to making sure those doors stay open.”

The Spotify and Youth Music partnership is a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of investing in the next generation of artists. By providing essential resources and opportunities, the Open Doors Fund is helping to keep the beat alive by ensuring that young people from all backgrounds have the chance to pursue their musical dreams. Because the artists of tomorrow need a space to begin.

To learn more about the Open Doors Fund, or to get involved with Youth Music, visit here.

Spotify Toasts Oasis’s Return With Exclusive Ways for Fans to Get Closer to the Music That Defined a Generation

This is not a drill: Oasis is back on the road—marking its first live performances in more than 16 years. The band’s highly anticipated tour kicked off in Cardiff on July 4 and 5, where it roared through a greatest-hits-heavy set to a rapturous reception. Reflecting the excitement, following the first weekend shows, streams of Oasis surged by nearly 320% on Spotify globally.

To celebrate the long-awaited reunion and reignite the spirit of one of the most iconic British bands of all time, Spotify has rolled out a brand-new campaign and experience designed specifically for the fans who never stopped believing.

Forever for the fans, fueling anticipation

Spotify has launched a campaign to spotlight Oasis’s diverse, cross-generational fan base and capture the band’s enduring legacy. Anchored by a short film directed by George Muncey, the campaign also features compelling and intimate fan portraits shot by longtime Oasis collaborator and photographer Kevin Cummins. Showcasing unique individuals from across the community, the campaign delivers a rich multiformat experience—placing Spotify at the heart of one of the most iconic cultural moments of the decade.

Check out the video here:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Spotify UK & Ireland (@spotifyuk)

And take a look at some of the pics, which are also featured across billboards in the U.K. and on Spotify’s social channels.

Spotify’s ‘Our Game, Our Sound’ Campaign Champions Community and Joy in Women’s Football

This summer, as the energy builds for one of the biggest moments in women’s football, we’re launching “Our Game, Our Sound,” a Europe-wide social impact campaign that spotlights the powerful connection between music, football, and community. The initiative is designed to foster belonging, joy, and mental well-being for Gen Z women, using Spotify’s cultural reach to create meaningful, connection-driven experiences.

The ultimate playlist

At the heart of “Our Game, Our Sound” is a new playlist co-curated by some of the most exciting names in European football. Global stars like Aggie Beever-Jones, Jess Park, Andrea Medina, and Laura Giuliani have selected the tracks that soundtrack their most important social moments. These are the songs that fill the locker room, the tour bus, and all the times at home and away that bring them together as a team. The playlist is an invitation for fans to find and celebrate their own communities this summer.

We’ve also partnered with Footballco and INDIVISA to cocreate and amplify content around the playlist. Through first-person narratives, short-form videos, and Instagram stories, the players will share authentic moments, connecting the dots between the music and their real-life experiences as fans and athletes.

RADAR Italia Celebrates 5 Years of Success With a New Class of Rising Stars

Since popping up in 2020, RADAR Italia has not only supported emerging artists but also reflected the cultural and musical richness of Italy. Over the past five years, it has spotlighted more than 40 rising talents, helping them grow and often gain international recognition. In turn, these diverse voices have made Italy’s music scene more inclusive, representative, and attuned to a new generation of fans with their unique sounds.

“This anniversary is a chance to celebrate the achievements of the many artists who have been part of the program. For five years, RADAR Italia has been a reference point for emerging talent, offering not just visibility but also concrete tools to grow and carve out a space in music,” said Melanie Parejo, Head of Music for South and Eastern Europe at Spotify. “But our commitment goes beyond selection: We support them at every stage of their journey, helping build authentic connections with audiences and explore new creative opportunities. RADAR is a bridge between artists and the millions of listeners looking for new voices and stories to discover.”

RADAR Italia has served as a launchpad for many artists, with the likes of BLANCO, Mara Sattei, Tony Boy, ARIETE, and Rhove representing some of the most influential voices in Italian music today.

On average, our featured RADAR Italia artists experience over a 100% increase in streams and an almost 200% increase in listeners within a year of joining the program. That includes BigMama, who went from 11,000 monthly listeners before joining RADAR Italia in 2021 to over 800,000 listeners by the time she took the stage at Sanremo in 2024. 

“Being part of Spotify RADAR was a milestone in my career, and I hope it will be the same for the young artists selected this year,” said BigMama. “Most importantly, the collaboration with Spotify doesn’t end when the program does—it continues over time, because when you become part of RADAR, you’re part of a family forever.”

Celebrating five years with RADAR Italia’s Class of 2025

To mark the fifth anniversary of RADAR Italia, Casa Spotify hosted a special event to both reflect on the program’s achievements and present the artists featured in the 2025 edition: Marte, Carla Hero, Emma Nolde, Glocky, Sayf, and camoufly.

The Latest Spotify Data Shows EU Artists Generated a Record-Breaking €1.7B in 2024

Spotify’s commitment to transparency and artist empowerment continues to resonate across Europe—and the numbers back it up. In our most recent Loud & Clear report, we’re amplifying a major milestone: European artists earned a record-breaking €1.7 billion in royalties on Spotify in 2024 alone. That’s a 15% year-on-year increase and nearly double what EU artists earned in 2020.

This landmark comes on the heels of another big moment: Spotify Founder and CEO Daniel Ek announcing at Spotify’s recent Open House event in Stockholm that we’ve reached 100 million paying subscribers across Europe.

“Europe and European creators are a crucial part of Spotify’s DNA. That is why we’re delighted to celebrate Spotify’s European Loud & Clear data for the second year running—providing artists and creators across the EU and the world transparency around the economics of music streaming,” said Spotify’s General Manager of Europe, Federica Tremolada. “We’re also excited EU creators are continuing to transcend global borders, with over half of all royalties generated by EU artists that perform in a non-English language.”

Global resonance

We’re particularly proud to be the only streaming platform to openly share how royalties are distributed. Our latest European data paints a vivid picture of a thriving creative ecosystem:

  • 28 billion global discoveries of European artists in 2024.
  • 351.66 billion streams of EU artists by European listeners.
  • More than 830 million user-generated playlists in the U.S. included EU artists.

And with over 52,000 EU artists landing on editorial playlists (a 4% increase from 2023), the pipeline between European talent and global listeners continues to strengthen.

Artists and creators thriving off their art

Spotify is more than a platform—it’s a career launchpad. In 2024:

  • More than 17,000 EU artists earned more than €10,000.
  • More than 27,000 EU artists earned more than €5,000.

This growth is not just encouraging—it’s life-changing. Nearly 44% of all royalties generated in the EU came from EU artists, the highest percentage since we began tracking in 2017. And in a major milestone for language diversity, 57% of royalties went to artists performing in non-English languages.

Spotlighting female creators

Female voices across Europe are rising—fast. Since 2020, streams of female EU artists are up:

  • 83% globally
  • 81% across Europe

Between 2023 and 2024 alone, streams grew by 11% globally and 4% across the EU. In 2024, our EQUAL program, launched to elevate female voices in music, supported more than 200 female European artists from 19 different markets with visibility, mentorship, and industry access.

“I am especially proud of the progress we’ve made for female creators. Streams of female European artists have soared, and through our EQUAL program, more than 200 European female artists have gained vital visibility, mentorship, and support,” said Federica. “These aren’t just numbers; they represent real women, real dreams, and a real shift in what it means to have a voice in this industry.”

Beyond English, beyond borders

European languages are powering streaming charts globally. In 2024:

  • Italy became a $100M+ market for the first time.
  • Seven of the top 10 most-streamed languages were European: Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Italian, Dutch, and Swedish.
  • European music exports grew on average 32% annually from 2014 to 2024.

These stats show that Europe isn’t just part of the global music conversation—it’s leading it.

Further highlights from around the region

Take a closer look at how artists are thriving across Europe:

  • France: The number of artists earning more than €100K quadrupled since 2017. French artists made up 70% of Spotify France’s Daily Top 50 in 2024.
  • Germany: 6.9 billion artist discoveries; more than half of royalty revenue went to independent acts.
  • Belgium: More than 80% of royalties came from listeners outside the country.
  • Denmark: 192 artists earned more than 500,000 DKK; total royalties nearly doubled since 2017.
  • UK: The number of artists making £10K, £50K, and £100K has more than doubled since 2017. Those earning £1M+ rose 20% year-on-year.

“Being the first and only streaming service to share data on artist remuneration, our European Loud & Clear data is a core example of how streaming continues to empower European artists and creators to surpass geographical confines—to grow global fan bases, awareness, and success,” concludes Federica.

Visit Loud & Clear by Spotify for a deeper dive into the economics of music streaming.

Loreen, Nemo, and More Reimagine Eurovision Anthems for Spotify Singles

As Europe gears up for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Spotify is celebrating the spirit of unity and musical legacy with a new series of Spotify Singles. Five artists from across the continent—Nemo, Loreen, Marina Satti, BABIE LATO, and ENNIO—have come together to reimagine iconic Eurovision hits.

With anticipation building for this year’s contest, Spotify’s Eurovision 2025 playlist has already been streamed for more than 6.7 million hours by eager fans since its launch in February. These newly released Spotify Singles, recorded at our Stockholm Studio, will amp up the excitement even further, breathing new life into beloved classics from the competition.

“The Eurovision Song Contest brings all of Europe together in a celebration of music and culture,” said Federica Tremolada, EU General Manager at Spotify. “Our new Spotify Singles aim to unite Europeans across different countries and generations to showcase the lasting impact of Eurovision. The contest provides a launchpad for some of Europe’s brightest artists who continue to shape the sound of the continent. I’m proud that Spotify provides a further platform to amplify these artists and fuel the export of European culture.”

Dive into each new track and its history below.

“Satellite” by Nemo

Fresh off their Eurovision win for Switzerland last year, Nemo is putting their unique spin on Lena’s quirky pop hit “Satellite,” which won the contest for Germany in 2010.

“I had so much fun recording in Stockholm,” said Nemo. “I’m thrilled to share my extraterrestrial spin on Lena’s ‘Satellite’ as the first Swiss Spotify Single.”

Stream Nemo’s cover.

“Arcade” by Loreen

Swedish pop phenomenon and two-time Eurovision winner Loreen lends her signature style to Duncan Laurence’s haunting ballad “Arcade,” which brought victory to the Netherlands in 2019 and has since become a global streaming phenomenon.

Stream Loreen’s cover.

“Fovame” by Marina Satti

Marina Satti, a former Eurovision contestant representing Greece, brings her distinctive sound to “Fovame,” a rendition of MARO’s atmospheric track “saudade, saudade,” which represented Portugal in 2022.

“The days we spent at the Spotify Studios in Stockholm were truly unforgettable, and the studio experience was crazy,” recalled Marina. “I’m beyond excited to share with you my rendition of ‘Saudade’ as the first-ever Greek Spotify Single. I can’t wait for you to hear it!”

Stream Marina Satti’s cover.

“Tattoo” by BABIE LATO

BABIE LATO is a project by Polish artists Margaret, Sara James, and Zalia. The trio tackles Loreen’s history-making hit, “Tattoo,” adding a Polish touch to the Eurovision-winning track from 2023.

“‘Tattoo’ by Loreen really struck a deep chord in our Polish- and Eurovision-loving hearts,” they said. “We had so much fun reworking this track—discovering a new sound and weaving in a touch of Polish nostalgia made us fall in love with it even more.”

Stream BABIE LATO’s cover.

“Wunder gibt es immer wieder” by ENNIO

German indie artist ENNIO introduces a new generation to the classic European pop tune “Wunder gibt es immer wieder,” originally performed by Katja Ebstein for Germany at the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest.

“Recording this Spotify Single allowed me to honor a classic while making it my own,” ENNIO said. “It means a lot to me. Thank you Spotify!”

Stream ENNIO’s cover.

These new releases are a testament to the creativity and artistry of Europe’s music scene. Spotify is proud to help amplify these talented artists and their unique interpretations.

Check out our Eurovision 2025 playlist to hear this year’s official song entries.

Spotify Expands Its Audiobooks Offering To Listeners In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein

As the world’s most popular audio-streaming subscription service, Spotify is committed to expanding the audiobook industry, enabling more listeners than ever to discover and engage, and paving the way for future innovation.

We saw early adoption of podcasts and audiobooks in Germany, with labels and fans embracing both formats. Recognizing this potential, we spoke to our users and began innovating and building podcasts globally. 

There’s already a strong appetite for audiobooks across German-speaking markets. With millions of people enjoying audiobooks on Spotify in Germany, we’re excited to enhance this experience by providing a Premium experience for our users of Spotify Individual and Duo or Family Plan Managers.

Today we’re launching an enhanced audiobooks offering in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Eligible Premium listeners in these markets will have access to 350,000 audiobooks, including titles in German, French, and Italian.

Eligible Premium subscribers will receive 12 hours of audiobook listening each month, and additional 10-hour allocations can be purchased as needed from €9.99. Listeners without an eligible Premium subscription will be able to pay to unlock access to individual audiobook titles a la carte. 

Delivering a better listening experience 

In Germany, there’s a rich tradition of storytelling and “Hörspiele” (audio plays), which has paved the way for the popularity of audiobooks. Today, audiobooks are a significant part of the cultural landscape, preserving and promoting literature in a modern format. 

With Audiobooks in Premium, users will find a host of new benefits that will make the listening experience even better. Along with an expanded catalog—which includes titles like Cornelia Funke’s Tintenherz, Caroline Wahl’s 22 Bahnen, and Rebecca YarrosFourth Wing—listeners can:

  • Search more easily via our dedicated Audiobooks tab.
  • Explore recommendations from our Home feed.
  • Access our hub to discover top titles curated by our editorial experts. 
  • Save their progress in an audiobook, ensuring they can easily pick up where they left off during their next listening session. 
  • Pre-save upcoming releases from their favorite authors with Countdown Pages.
  • Use our Spotify Sleep Timer so they don’t lose their place.

“We are turning up the volume on where people are already listening, and getting even more great stories to them with this new catalog and listening experience. In the markets where we have already launched, we’ve already accelerated growth for the audiobook business, and that’s what we’re committed to doing here in Germany and across Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein,” said David Kaefer, VP Audiobooks Business.

Find your next great read by browsing the Audiobooks hub on Spotify.

*Terms apply. 12 hours/month from our subscriber catalog available to Individual and Duo or Family Plan Managers only.

EQUAL Celebrates the Growing Impact of Women on Poland’s Music Scene

Spotify is committed to promoting gender equality in music, among other initiatives, through our EQUAL program. Since 2021, EQUAL has shined a spotlight on women in audio through global partnerships, activations, new content experiences, and on- and off-platform support.

On Spotify, listeners in more than 180 markets can find the EQUAL hub, a space dedicated to this content. And since 2021, we’ve supported more than 40 EQUAL ambassadors and promoted even more women through dedicated playlists

With so much incredible talent to highlight and celebrate, EQUAL continues to evolve and expand. Over the past two years, we’ve hosted EQUAL Festivals in countries like Argentina, Spain, Japan, France, Australia, and Mexico. Most recently, the EQUAL team left its stamp on Poland, aiming to provide a platform for discussing how women in the industry can continue to thrive and inspire the next generation of Polish female creators through panels, networking, inspirational talks, and performances. 

“Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed the rapid increase in popularity of Polish female artists, and at Spotify we are committed to helping female artists connect with a global audience, providing them with the space to grow creatively and build their careers on a global scale,” said Katarzyna Czechowska, Spotify Artist and Label Partnership Lead, Poland.With that said, we’re conscious about the continued need to support these artists and ensure equal opportunities together with the rest of the industry.”

Looking back at the last five years of female-led music in Poland, there’s been plenty to celebrate. Just take a peek at the highlights:

More Polish female artists are building their careers on Spotify 

  • Since 2019, we’ve seen nearly 25% more Polish female artists uploading music on Spotify.

  • Additionally, the annual number of streams for songs by female artists in Poland has surpassed 2 billion, marking a nearly 600% increase since 2019.

They’re also making their presence felt on the charts

  • In 2019, we saw one female artist on our yearly Top 100 list for Poland: Daria Zawiałow. In 2024, we can already reveal that this year’s list will include seven women.
  • Songs by female artists on our Polish Top 100 list have nearly doubled from 2023. Since 2019, we’ve also seen a staggering 1,200% increase in songs by female artists on the Polish Top 100. 

Fans around the world are taking notice

  • In 2024, Polish female artists have achieved over 2 billion streams to date in their local market, which represents a near 600% increase since 2019.

  • Internationally, streams for Polish female artists have increased by more than 340% since 2019.

  • While most streams of Polish female artists happen to be pop songs, the most notable genre trend is the rise of Polish female rappers. Led by exciting new artists like bambi, this genre has grown by almost 5,000% since 2019. Other genres gaining traction include viral pop, dance, trap, and folk. 

The work is far from done, but we have a lot to be proud of as we continue on this journey. As we strive to inspire change through action, we’ll continue providing opportunities for women to be at full volume.

Discover the sounds of today’s leading Polish women on EQUAL Polska.

Mark Zuckerberg and Daniel Ek on Why Europe Should Embrace Open-Source AI: It Risks Falling Behind Because of Incoherent and Complex Regulation, Say the Two Tech CEOs

Editor’s Note: At Spotify, we believe that AI has the potential to offer real benefits for innovation and creators. Read on for thoughts from our CEO, Daniel Ek and Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg’s on the promise of open source AI and its ability to drive progress and create economic opportunity globally. 

This is an important moment in technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform the world—increasing human productivity, accelerating scientific progress and adding trillions of dollars to the global economy.

But, as with every innovative leap forward, some are better positioned than others to benefit. The gaps between those with access to build with this extraordinary technology and those without are already beginning to appear. That is why a key opportunity for European organisations is through open-source AI—models whose weights are released publicly with a permissive licence. This ensures power isn’t concentrated among a few large players and, as with the internet before it, creates a level playing field.

The internet largely runs on open-source technologies, and so do most leading tech companies. We believe the next generation of ideas and startups will be built with open-source AI, because it lets developers incorporate the latest innovations at low cost and gives institutions more control over their data. It is the best shot at harnessing AI to drive progress and create economic opportunity and security for everyone.

Meta open-sources many of its AI technologies, including its state-of-the-art Llama large language models, and public institutions and researchers are already using these models to speed up medical research and preserve languages. With more open-source developers than America has, Europe is particularly well placed to make the most of this open-source AI wave. Yet its fragmented regulatory structure, riddled with inconsistent implementation, is hampering innovation and holding back developers. Instead of clear rules that inform and guide how companies do business across the continent, our industry faces overlapping regulations and inconsistent guidance on how to comply with them. Without urgent changes, European businesses, academics and others risk missing out on the next wave of technology investment and economic-growth opportunities.

Spotify is proud to be held up as a European tech success but we are also well aware that we remain one of only a few. Looking back, it’s clear that our early investment in AI made the company what it is today: a personalised experience for every user that has led to billions of discoveries of artists and creators around the world. As we look to the future of streaming, we see tremendous potential to use open-source AI to benefit the industry. This is especially important when it comes to how AI can help more artists get discovered. A simplified regulatory structure would not only accelerate the growth of open-source AI but also provide crucial support to European developers and the broader creator ecosystem that contributes to and thrives on these innovations.

Regulating against known harms is necessary, but pre-emptive regulation of theoretical harms for nascent technologies such as open-source AI will stifle innovation. Europe’s risk-averse, complex regulation could prevent it from capitalising on the big bets that can translate into big rewards.

Take the uneven application of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This landmark directive was meant to harmonise the use and flow of data, but instead EU privacy regulators are creating delays and uncertainty and are unable to agree among themselves on how the law should apply. For example, Meta has been told to delay training its models on content shared publicly by adults on Facebook and Instagram—not because any law has been violated but because regulators haven’t agreed on how to proceed. In the short term, delaying the use of data that is routinely used in other regions means the most powerful AI models won’t reflect the collective knowledge, culture and languages of Europe—and Europeans won’t get to use the latest AI products.

These concerns aren’t theoretical. Given the current regulatory uncertainty, Meta won’t be able to release upcoming models like Llama multimodal, which has the capability to understand images. That means European organisations won’t be able to get access to the latest open-source technology, and European citizens will be left with AI built for someone else.

The stark reality is that laws designed to increase European sovereignty and competitiveness are achieving the opposite. This isn’t limited to our industry: many European chief executives, across a range of industries, cite a complex and incoherent regulatory environment as one reason for the continent’s lack of competitiveness.

Europe should be simplifying and harmonising regulations by leveraging the benefits of a single yet diverse market. Look no further than the growing gap between the number of homegrown European tech leaders and those from America and Asia—a gap that also extends to unicorns and other startups. Europe needs to make it easier to start great companies, and to do a better job of holding on to its talent. Many of its best and brightest minds in AI choose to work outside Europe.

In short, Europe needs a new approach with clearer policies and more consistent enforcement. With the right regulatory environment, combined with the right ambition and some of the world’s top AI talent, the EU would have a real chance of leading the next generation of tech innovation.

We believe that open-source AI can help European organisations make the most of this new technology by levelling the playing field, and we hope that the EU doesn’t limit the possibilities that we are only starting to explore. Though Spotify and Meta use AI in different ways, we agree that thoughtful, clear and consistent regulation can foster competition and innovation while also protecting people and giving them access to new technologies that empower them.

While we can all hope that with time these laws become more refined, we also know that technology moves swiftly. On its current course, Europe will miss this once-in-a-generation opportunity. Because the one thing Europe doesn’t have, unless it wants to risk falling further behind, is time.

Mark Zuckerberg is the founder and chief executive of Meta. Daniel Ek is the founder and chief executive of Spotify.


Originally published at https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2024/08/21/mark-zuckerberg-and-daniel-ek-on-why-europe-should-embrace-open-source-ai © The Economist Newspaper Limited, London, 2023

The U.K. Holds Firm in the Fight for Fair Competition With the DMCC Act, But It’s Not Over Yet

For more than a year, the U.K. government has been working to redefine how the internet works in the U.K., giving consumers greater choice and control over their digital lives and empowering small businesses to have a fair shot at competing with online giants. Having been rightly prioritized as the most important bill to be finalized before the U.K. prepares for a general election, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) is now law. It promises to revolutionize the U.K. digital landscape, forcing Big Tech companies like Apple to compete fairly for consumers’ business and opening up unprecedented opportunities for creators across the U.K. to thrive.

Done right, the DMCC can have manifold benefits. For consumers, the DMCC makes the digital marketplace more competitive, lowering prices and giving them more choice and control. For businesses and creators, it delivers the opportunities they need to grow, compete, and succeed. And for the U.K. as a whole, it makes the country a more globally competitive and attractive place to do business.

But even with the law now firmly in place, the fight isn’t over. 

As Spotify’s Founder & CEO Daniel Ek points out, “Apple has spent millions—in country after country—trying to circumvent and make a mockery of laws like the DMCC. They’ve already broken rules in the U.S., Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, and Europe. The DMCC has the potential to unlock real competition and growth and Apple must be held accountable in the U.K. because we cannot miss the opportunity to get it right.”

Similar to the DMCC, the E.U.’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) was supposed to end the unfair stifling of innovation that Apple had tried to disguise as security protections. But in response to the law, Apple has purposefully created an alternative to the status quo of the 30% commission fee it charges for in-app purchases. They now force developers to pay Apple a 0.50 fee for every customer download, in addition to a recurring 17% digital goods fee for every purchase made. Under the DMA, developers would now owe Apple millions if their apps were to go viral.

Dustee Jenkins, Spotify’s Chief Public Affairs Officer, said, “We were proud of Europe for leading the way and assumed Apple would have no choice but to comply with the law. But we were wrong—it’s not been enough. This can’t be allowed to happen in the U.K. It would undermine this world-leading piece of legislation, harming consumers and businesses across the country. Learnings have to be taken from Apple’s continued bad behavior around the world and the DMCC has to be implemented quickly and forcefully to break Apple’s stranglehold on the market.”

With the DMCC now enforceable, the U.K. has an Apple-shaped target on its back. For the DMCC to work as those who have designed it intended, the following must also occur:

  • The App Store and iOS should be designated promptly, with this designation being the first focus of the Digital Markets Unit (DMU). Apple themselves have even acknowledged the shortcomings in their App Store to increase competition. App stores are often people’s main gateway to the internet, and the competition regulator has already found that Apple’s anti-competitive behavior is costing U.K. consumers billions.
  • Action should be taken as soon as possible with eyes open to the likelihood that Apple will fight tooth and nail to avoid opening up to competition. The longer this takes, the more this is costing businesses and consumers and threatening the future of U.K. tech innovation.

Importantly, the regulator has political backing to use its powers as robustly as possible to enforce the regulation. 

The DMCC is the first step in giving power back to U.K. consumers. The U.K. now has the opportunity to lead the fight against Apple’s market dominance and show the rest of the world how it’s done.

*Update January 2025: GOV.UK announces SMS investigation into Apple’s mobile ecosystem.

De viktigaste insikterna från Spotifys årliga Loud & Clear-rapport

Med sin årliga royaltyrapport Loud & Clear ökar Spotify transparensen i musikindustrin, så att artister, låtskrivare, fans och hela musikbranschen får en större förståelse för hur streamingekonomin fungerar. Spotify betalar ungefär två tredjedelar av sina musikrelaterade intäkter till rättighetsinnehavare och publishers, och nyligen redovisades att Spotifys globala utbetalningar under 2023 uppgick till över nio miljarder dollar. Men hur såg det ut i Sverige? 

Under förra året genererade svenska artister utbetalningar på nästan 1,8 miljarder kronor enbart från Spotify – en ökning med drygt tolv procent jämfört med 2022 och en dubblering jämfört med 2017. 

Statistiken visar även att musikbranschen fortsätter att blomstra – på alla nivåer. Under 2023 genererade fler än 500 svenska artister minst 500 000 kronor i royalties bara från Spotify. Antalet artister som når denna nivå har ökat med 70 procent sedan 2017. Dessutom genererade över 280 svenska artister mer än en miljon kronor från plattformen, vilket innebär en ökning med nästan två tredjedelar sedan 2018.

För första gången redovisar Spotify också att oberoende skivbolag och artister genererar nästan hälften av utbetalningarna, i Sverige såväl som globalt.

Sverige är en erkänd musikexportnation, men svenska artister dominerar även på hemmaplan, vilket kraftigt bidrar till ökade intäkter till den svenska musikindustrin. Under 2023 stod inhemska artister bakom 70 procent av alla låtar som tog sig in på den dagliga Topp 50-listan. 

Spotifys rekordutbetalningar

Svenska artister genererade under 2023 större utbetalningar än någonsin tidigare, vilket bidrar till att den svenska musikbranschen växer.

Ett rekordår för indiebolag och indieartister

Fler artister väljer att publicera sin egen musik på Spotify vilket ledde till att de oberoende skivbolagens andel av utbetalningarna förra året uppgick till nästan 50 procent. 

Fler artister genererar stora utbetalningar

Spotifys utbetalningar hjälper såväl etablerade som aspirerande artister att utveckla sina karriärer och nå sina fans. 

Så fungerar Spotifys royaltyutbetalningar:

  • Spotify betalar ut ungefär två tredjedelar av sina musikrelaterade intäkter till rättighetsinnehavare och publishers, som i sin tur betalar artister och låtskrivare baserat på deras enskilda kontrakt.
  • Utbetalningar från Spotify utgör endast en del av intäkterna för skivbolag, låtskrivare och artister; övriga källor inkluderar bland annat utbetalningar från andra streamingtjänster, skivförsäljning, försäljning av merchandise och biljetter till konserter.

Spotify’s Michael Krause Talks Industry Trends Ahead of Our Music and Podcasting Summits in Germany

On April 18 and 19, experts from across the audio industry—including artists, publishers, and marketing and advertising professionals—will once again gather in Berlin for Spotify’s All Ears Podcast Summit and All Music Friday Summit.

Attendees will have the opportunity to take part in panel discussions and workshops and see performances and live podcast recordings. This year’s events follow the tremendous success of our 2023 summits in Berlin, during which All Ears made history as the country’s largest-ever podcast event.

For the Record sat down with Michael Krause, Spotify’s General Manager for Europe and the managing director for the summits, to talk audio trends, the music and podcasting scenes in Germany, and more.

What are you most looking forward to at this year’s summits?

I’m very excited to bring the industry back together and continue our conversations around the future of the audio field in Germany. I’m of course partial to seeing some of my Spotify colleagues talk, like Sten Garmark, who oversees the user experience and has worked on countless new functionalities we’ve rolled out these past few months, or Sulinna Ong, who leads our global music editorial teams. But most importantly, I believe it’s the energy in the room, the unexpected discussions that will pop up, that make it so thrilling.

What are some of the most exciting and interesting trends you’re seeing in audio, locally and globally? 

What’s got me excited is the new ad formats launched over the past few months and the enthusiasm we’re seeing here in Germany, as well as across Europe. We’re innovating on the ad experience, we’re introducing better targeting with tools like Streaming Ad Insertion, we’re helping advertisers reach podcast listeners at scale with the Spotify Audience Network, and we’re proving the impact of digital audio advertising with Spotify Ad Analytics. Most recently, we launched call-to-action cards (CTA cards) in Germany as a new format that makes podcast ads interactive for the first time, with an experience that enables listeners to hear, see, and click.

Germany is one of the largest music markets globally. How is Spotify contributing to that growth? 

It’s always been our mission to create connections between fans and artists the world over. We’ve lowered barriers to entry into the music field, and we’re seeing more and more artists thriving on Spotify. What is of the utmost importance to me, and to my teams, is that we enable the new professional artists of tomorrow to find success on our platform. Our programs such as EQUAL and RADAR are empowering them to do just that. 

You’ve been at Spotify for seven years now. What are some of the most impactful changes you’ve witnessed during your tenure?

When I joined Spotify, podcasts were barely a thing. Seven years later, we’ve grown into podcasting, audiobooks, and have just launched courses in the U.K. But most importantly, we’ve gone from being available in 80+ countries then to 180+ countries today. Over 600 million people use Spotify—that’s so many opportunities for audio creators to connect to new fans. I’ve always been a big believer in the company, but the growth, the developments have taken us all on an incredible journey. And I’m even more excited for what lies ahead, both as a user and as a bandmate.

Podcasts are huge in Germany. How do you think the local podcast market will continue to evolve? Any specific goals you have?

We’ve launched so many tools and functionalities over the past year that enable creators to develop and engage with their communities, and it’s rewarding to see them start using them. Video podcasts are one of those, and it’s such an incredible, different way to interact with fans. We want to continue to allow all of our creators to develop and grow their audiences on our platform to give them the flexibility of deciding what makes the most sense for their content and for their communities.

You’ve just unveiled the Loud and Clear report for 2023 in Germany. What’s most compelling to you, and what opportunities lie ahead for Spotify in Germany? 

What’s most impressive to me is that German artists were discovered for the first time in 2023 more than 6.7 billion times. That’s a staggering amount of discoveries, and that directly goes back to our mission—to unlock the potential of audio creators at large and connect them to their audiences worldwide. And what’s both an opportunity and a massive success is that revenues generated by Spotify for German artists grew by 14% from 2022 to 2023, whereas Germany’s music industry revenues at large grew by 7% in that time frame. Spotify revenues in that market grew twice as fast. We have become a key driver and contributor to the German music industry, and we’re excited to continue partnering with artists and creators in Germany to further develop their careers.