Observed Signal · Jul 15, 2020 · Product Launch · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Spotify expands to 13 new markets
Spotify, the Swedish music streaming service, announced expansion into 13 additional markets, bringing its availability to 92 countries. The new markets include Russia, Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. In these markets, Spotify will offer the free ad-supported tier with a catalog of 50 million songs and an option to upgrade to Premium. The rollout also introduces 200 new playlists highlighting local artists. In Russia, competition includes Apple Music, Yandex Music, and VKontakte; the Premium price is around €2, and Russia is among Spotify’s top 20 markets with roughly 118 million internet users. Gustav Gyllenhammar, a Spotify executive involved in subscriber growth, frames the expansion as part of a global growth strategy that emphasizes global connectivity with room for local adaptation. This marks Spotify’s first major expansion since the Indian market launch in 2019.
Expansion to 13 markets expands Spotify's global footprint and supports its stated growth strategy.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Spotify expands to 13 new markets, reaching 92 countries.
- New markets include Russia, Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.
- In the new markets, the ad-supported version remains free, with a catalog of 50 million songs and a Premium upgrade available.
- Spotify will publish 200 new playlists highlighting local artists.
- In Russia, competition includes Apple Music, Yandex Music, and VKontakte; Premium price is around €2; Russia has about 118 million internet users; this is the first expansion since India in 2019.
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