Spotify

Spotify is a Swedish audio streaming service known for on-demand music and podcasts. It was founded in 2006 in Stockholm by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon and launched to the public in 2008. The service operates on a freemium model, offering a free ad-supported tier and a Premium subscription that unlocks higher-quality streaming, offline listening, and other features.

Spotify provides access to a large catalog of music and podcasts through licensing agreements with major labels and independent rights holders. Availability and catalog size vary by country due to licensing restrictions and regional deals. Core offerings include on-demand playback, curated playlists, algorithm-driven recommendations such as Discover Weekly and Daily Mix, radio-style stations, and offline downloads for Premium users.

The platform is accessible across multiple devices, including smartphones, desktop apps, web players, smart speakers, and game consoles. It uses adaptive streaming with multiple bitrate options and supports social features such as playlist sharing and collaborative playlists. In addition to music, Spotify has expanded into podcasts and audio content through acquisitions, including Gimlet Media and Anchor in 2019 and Parcast in 2020, integrating these into its ecosystem.

Economically, Spotify earns revenue from subscriptions and advertising, and it pays royalties to rights holders based on streams. The service has faced criticism over royalty practices and licensing terms, but it remains a major player in music distribution and podcasting, shaping how audiences access and discover audio content.