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State of the Screens

Spotify Gains 6 Million Paid Subscribers in Q1 as COVID-19 Disrupts Listening Patterns 

By May 14, 2020No Comments

Spotify paid subscribers (YoY growth):
1) 2017-Q1 – 52M
2) 2018-Q1 – 75M (↑ 44%)
3) 2019-Q1 – 100M (↑ 33%)
4) 2020-Q1 – 130M (↑ 30%) 

Spotify subscription revenue (YoY growth):
1) 2017-Q1 – $828M
2) 2018-Q1 – $1B (↑ 25%)
3) 2019-Q1 – $1.4B (↑ 34%)
4) 2020-Q1 – $1.7B (↑ 23%)

Spotify revenue per subscriber (YoY growth):
1) 2017-Q1 – $15.92
2) 2018-Q1 – $13.83 (↓ 13%)
3) 2019-Q1 – $13.85 (↑ 0%)
4) 2020-Q1 – $13.08 (↓ 6%)  

Spotify ad-supported users (YoY growth):
1) 2017-Q1 – 82M
2) 2018-Q1 – 102M (↑ 24%)
3) 2019-Q1 – 123M (↑ 21%)
4) 2020-Q1 – 163M (↑ 33%)

Spotify advertising revenue (YoY growth):
1) 2017-Q1 – $74M
2) 2018-Q1 – $102M (↑ 38%)
3) 2019-Q1 – $126M (↑ 24%)
4) 2020-Q1 – $148M (↑ 17%)

Spotify revenue per ad-supported user (YoY growth):
1) 2017-Q1 – $0.90
2) 2018-Q1 – $1.00 (↑ 11%)
3) 2019-Q1 – $1.02 (↑ 2%)
4) 2020-Q1 – $0.91 (↓ 11%)

Spotify share of total revenue from advertising:
1) 2017-Q1 – 8%
2) 2018-Q1 – 9%
3) 2019-Q1 – 8%
4) 2020-Q1 – 8%

Big news: In 2019, Spotify passed Pandora for most listeners in the U.S.

Monthly listeners in the U.S. (YoY growth) according to eMarketer:
1) 
Spotify – 65M (↑ 26%)
2) Pandora – 63M (↓ 8%)

Video #1: Spotify CEO on earnings, changes in consumption patterns and more

Video #2: WFH Webinar Series: The Future of Podcasting

More #1: Spotify is testing video podcasts with two YouTube stars

More #2: Spotify’s Daniel Ek Talks ‘Explosion’ in Home Listening, Opportunities to Convert Radio Listeners During Lockdown

Michael Beach

Michael Beach is the Chief Executive Officer of Cross Screen Media, a media analytics and software company that enables marketers to plan, activate, and measure CTV and linear TV at the local level. Michael is also the founder and editor of State of the Screens, a weekly newsletter focused on video advertising that is a must-read for thought leaders in the advertising industry. He has appeared in such publications as PBS Frontline, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Axios, CNBC and Bloomberg, and on NPR’s Planet Money podcast.