Guess how many people now pay to use Spotify? Yup, 50 million
Spotify now has 50 million paying subscribers, growing by ten million in less than six months.
The Swedish streaming giant posted the figure on Twitter. Apple Music, its closest competitor, said in December that it had 20 million subscribers.
The update was the first from privately held Spotify since September, when it passed 40 million paying subscribers. Spotify said in June that is had a total of 100 million users, including on its free, advertising-backed tier which is the bane of some record executives.
Spotify has maintained its edge despite concerted efforts from competitors. Apple, which launched its streaming service in 2015, and rap mogul Jay Z's upstart Tidal have both tried to woo listeners by offering exclusive material.
Online retail giant Amazon in October entered the streaming war by giving a discount rate to subscribers who use the company's speakers.
Other competitors include Paris-based Deezer, whose strength lies in Europe, and Seattle streaming pioneer Rhapsody.
Streaming of unlimited, on-demand music online has rapidly grown in recent years, transforming the music industry.
The number of paid subscriptions to streaming services more than doubled in the United States last year alone.
Streaming has helped bring the first substantial growth to the recording industry since the dawn of online music, although some artists complain that far too little goes back to them.
Spotify's model includes a service that is easy to use and makes the most music available rather than seeking out exclusives.
However, in a turn towards original material, Spotify said last week that it was starting three podcasts.
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The Swedish streaming giant posted the figure on Twitter. Apple Music, its closest competitor, said in December that it had 20 million subscribers.
The update was the first from privately held Spotify since September, when it passed 40 million paying subscribers. Spotify said in June that is had a total of 100 million users, including on its free, advertising-backed tier which is the bane of some record executives.
Spotify has maintained its edge despite concerted efforts from competitors. Apple, which launched its streaming service in 2015, and rap mogul Jay Z's upstart Tidal have both tried to woo listeners by offering exclusive material.
Online retail giant Amazon in October entered the streaming war by giving a discount rate to subscribers who use the company's speakers.
Other competitors include Paris-based Deezer, whose strength lies in Europe, and Seattle streaming pioneer Rhapsody.
Streaming of unlimited, on-demand music online has rapidly grown in recent years, transforming the music industry.
The number of paid subscriptions to streaming services more than doubled in the United States last year alone.
Streaming has helped bring the first substantial growth to the recording industry since the dawn of online music, although some artists complain that far too little goes back to them.
Spotify's model includes a service that is easy to use and makes the most music available rather than seeking out exclusives.
However, in a turn towards original material, Spotify said last week that it was starting three podcasts.
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