In the span of a week, Spotify has already begun 2018 on a tumultuous foot, as the streaming juggernaut has announced plans to go public, while also facing a $1.6 billion lawsuit based on using songs without proper licensing. However, the company recently Tweeted out that they have reached a significant milestone in the streaming industry by accumulating 70 million subscribers.
According to Variety, Spotify's 70 million user count easily dwarfs Apple Music's reported 30 million subscribers, which holds second amongst all streaming platforms. By the looks of it, it seems that services such as Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora and Soundcloud GO may never be able to reach Spotify's ubiquity and gain as many subscribers.
Streaming has seen a significant rise in popularity throughout 2017, as Spotify alone topped 375 billion streams from January through December. The company has been able to capitalize on the change in North American music consumption patterns, and has provided an expansive music library with expertly crafted playlists to cater to its vast clientele.
However, the company has certainly seen its fair share of criticisms recently. Spotify's per stream royalties are significantly lower than those of Apple Music and Tidal, which has drawn ire from musicians across the board.