Spotify subscribers hit 124 million, a 29% increase year on year, according to its recently released Q4 2019 financial results. Monthly Active Users (MAU) increased 31% to 271 million. But despite a 24% increase in revenue of €1,855 million in the quarter, the streamer reported a €77 million loss.
Exponential growth in podcast hours streamed (up approximately 200% year on year) is driving increased overall engagement and retention of subscribers. Podcast highlights through the year include:
- 700k podcast titles on platform
- ~200% growth year on year in podcast consumption hours
- Introduced Spotify podcast ads powered by streaming ad insertion (SAI)
- Launched Your Daily Podcasts in several priority podcast markets
New innovations launched in the last quarter of 2019 included Sponsored Recommendations. Sponsored new release recommendation is targeted to both Ad-Supported and Premium listeners on mobile and is a personalized reminder for users to stream an album that Spotify believe they’ll like. Spotify also acquired Soundtrap and Soundbetter in the last quarter with Soundtrap doubling its paying subscriber base in that period.
Spotify in 2019
Investing in podcasting
- Partnership with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground production company
- Acquire leading podcast companies Gimlet, Anchor and Parcast
Launched in India
- Spotify is now in 79 markets around the world
Grew to more than a quarter billion Monthly active users
User Experience Innovation
- Launched Spotify Lite in 36 markets
- Introduced Spotify Kids in 4 markets
- Launched Your Daily Drive with personalised music and news
- Upgraded Premium Family Plan with parental controls, Family Mix and Family Hub
Connecting Creators and their fans
- Annual Spotify Wrapped experience included first ever My Decade Wrapped with 60M+ users engaging and 6.5Bn streams of Year/Decade Top Songs Playlist
- 500K+ artists and creators sing Spotify for Artists monthly
- Empowered creator community through programmes including Equalizer, Sound Up accelerator programme
Spotify’s forecast for 2020
- Total MAUs: 328-348 million
- Total Premium Subscribers: 143-153 million
- Total Revenue: €8.08-€8.48 billion
- Operating Loss: €150-€250 million
Recent articles of interest
Spotify creates playlists for pets
Spotify’s biggest playlist hits 25 million followers
