For some observers, the increasing popularity of streaming services is a competitive race to be won, but with millions of new active users trying Spotify in August, the music industry hopes streaming can be a win-win for artists, fans and all major streaming platforms.
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On Sept. 8 an insider source told Digital Music News that Spotify has surpassed 150 million active users worldwide.
The same source revealed that the service's 60 million paid subscribers at the end of July has been racing toward the 65 million mark, increasing by about 1 million users per week during August.
Although Spotify's ad-supported free tier has been an effective ambassador for licensed music streaming, this new digital ecosystem is accompanied by growing pains. For example, Apple Music only offers paid listening and is rapidly approaching 30 million users having launched in 2015. Spotify has been building its base since 2008 and still struggles to establish itself as a profitable business.
It's undeniable streaming music has moved into the mainstream with many legal options. That is why it is so essential this burgeoning legal marketplace doesn't shortchange the songwriters and performers who create music — the music that brings these digital business models to life.
