Spotify has passed 300 million paying subscribers for the first time as the streaming company continues expanding beyond music and investing in AI-powered features. Monthly active users reached 777 million during the second quarter, up 12% from a year earlier, while subscribers increased 9%.
The subscriber growth followed price increases across several markets during 2026. Spotify reported quarterly revenue of €4.8 billion, about $5.52 billion, representing annual growth of 14%.
Spotify Expands Beyond Music Streaming
Spotify has added several types of content and commercial services as it seeks to increase user activity and subscription value. Recent additions include fitness programming, narrated magazine articles, concert ticket sales and physical books.
The company now provides access to more than 100 million music tracks, seven million podcast titles and 700,000 audiobooks across 184 markets. Its growing catalogue gives users more reasons to remain within the service instead of using separate platforms for different audio formats.
Subscriber numbers continued rising despite the higher prices. The results indicate that Spotify retained and added paying customers while broadening the range of content available through its premium plans.
AI Features Support Personalised Listening
Spotify has increased its use of AI across music, podcasts and audiobooks. In July, it introduced a conversational assistant that allows eligible Premium subscribers to speak or type requests, adjust what is playing and ask questions about artists, podcasts, audiobooks and their listening history.
The feature is initially available in beta to users aged 18 and older in the United States, Ireland and Sweden. Spotify said users can refine requests through a back-and-forth conversation without leaving the app.
Spotify also introduced Studio by Spotify Labs, an experimental desktop app that can create personalised podcasts, daily briefings and playlists. With permission, the app can use information from tools such as calendars, inboxes and notes when preparing audio content.
Other additions include AI-generated podcast briefings, question-and-answer tools and a partnership with ElevenLabs for audiobook creation. Spotify has also reached agreements with music companies to support authorised fan-made remixes.
Platform Responds to AI-Generated Music Concerns
Spotify’s subscriber growth has continued while some users criticise the amount of AI-generated music available on streaming platforms. The company introduced optional AI credits for music and added a verification programme intended to help listeners identify authentic artist profiles.
Under the Verified by Spotify programme, profiles that primarily represent AI-generated artists or AI personas are not eligible for verification. Spotify said the programme combines platform data with human review when determining whether an artist meets its standards.
Independent services including SoullessMusic.com and SlopTracker have also appeared to help listeners identify music that may have been generated using AI.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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