Spotify Expands Global Reach with Launch in 85 New Markets

Spotify is poised to significantly broaden its global footprint, initiating service availability in 85 additional markets over the coming days. Alongside this expansion, the platform will also introduce support for 36 new languages. This announcement was made during the company’s “Stream On” online event earlier today.

A Billion New Potential Listeners

This extensive rollout encompasses regions across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Collectively, these newly accessible markets represent a population exceeding one billion individuals. Spotify asserts that this move will grant a worldwide audience access to sounds and narratives previously confined to local areas, spanning almost 180 markets.

The company views this as its most substantial market expansion to date, reinforcing its dedication to fostering a borderless audio environment that connects creators, listeners, and content.

Tailored Experiences and Local Partnerships

Spotify intends to collaborate closely with creators and partners within each market to deliver a customized experience. This will involve scaled language translations and the implementation of specialized payment methods. Furthermore, the expansion is anticipated to accelerate the recognition of diverse musical genres, such as Afrobeats, Amapiano, K-Pop, and Reggaeton, which have gained prominence on the global stage.

According to a company statement, the rich musical traditions present in these markets will now be accessible to Spotify’s global user base. Access to innovative creator tools will empower artists and enable them to pursue their passion professionally.

Comprehensive Rollout Strategy

Spotify is adopting a holistic approach to introducing its music services in each region, working in tandem with local creators and partners.

Both free and premium subscription tiers will be available across all new markets. Select markets will also offer individual, family, duo, and student plan options, though specific locations were not detailed. Spotify’s complete global music catalog will be accessible in each of these markets, with ongoing efforts to expand local content through collaborations with rights holders.

Podcast Expansion and Personalized Features

The streaming giant will launch its full podcast catalog in the majority of these markets. For remaining regions, Spotify will partner locally to introduce more podcasts from its catalog, alongside its creator platform, Anchor.

Users will benefit from a personalized experience through the home screen, browse, and search functionalities. Initially, Spotify will be available on mobile and desktop web players, with plans to extend availability to TVs, speakers, wearables, and cars in the coming months.

A Virtuous Cycle of Growth

“Increasing the number of listeners on our platform generates more opportunities for artists and podcasters to earn a livelihood from their work,” stated Alex Norström, Spotify’s chief freemium business officer. “A larger creator base translates to more audio content for our users to discover. This creates a vital cycle between creators and listeners, forming the core of our business and driving the audio industry forward.”

Current User Base and Expansion Impact

Currently, Spotify boasts over 340 million monthly active users, with 150 million subscribers utilizing its ad-free premium service across 93 markets. This expansion will extend the streaming giant’s reach to 178 markets worldwide.

New Market Breakdown

The list of new markets includes:

• Africa: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Macau, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and Uzbekistan.
• Europe: Georgia and San Marino.
• Caribbean & Latin America: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.
• Oceania: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papau New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

This expansion follows recent announcements from Spotify, including the rollout of Spotify HiFi in select markets and the beta launch of a new tool called “Discovery Mode.”