Global online music streaming subscriptions were up 32 percent year-over-year in 2019, hitting 358 million subscribers, according to new estimates shared today by Counterpoint Research.
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Spotify was the market leader with a 31 percent share of total revenue and a 35 percent share of total paid subscriptions, while Apple Music earned the second place slot with a 24 percent share of total revenues in the industry and a 19 percent share of the total paid subscriptions. Apple Music's subscription base grew an estimated 36 percent year-over-year.
Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and Tencent Music all trailed both Apple Music and Spotify.
"Spotify maintained its top spot with the help of promotional activities like free Spotify Premium for three months, price cuts, customized campaigns like Spotify and a focus on exclusive content. Tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google have started focusing on music streaming and have sufficient cash at their disposal to give stiff competition to Spotify. Apple Music is making improvements in its app like the introduction of night mode, curated playlists to target a group, etc. Similarly, Amazon Music has been trying lossless music and is creating its own niche where it competes with Tidal."
More than 80 percent of total streaming music revenue came from paid subscriptions, while the rest came from advertisements and partnerships with brands and telcos.
Counterpoint Research believes that online streaming music subscriptions will grow more than 25 percent year-over-year to exceed 450 million subscriptions by the end of 2020.
Apple last shared specific Apple Music subscriber numbers in June 2019, announcing that the service had reached 60 million paid subscribers. That number is likely quite a bit higher now, but Apple has not shared new official subscriber totals in 2020.
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I had a huge iTunes library that seamlessly transitioned to Apple Music. (I recall this not being true for everyone unfortunately, but that’s my experience.) I’m not fond of Spotify’s interface, nor do I listen to curated playlists (often cited as their strongest feature). I also own a HomePod.What are those other reasons?
It’s tiresome to gas up one platform so exclusively. Different services exist to compete and cater to different demographics. I had a Spotify account for quite some time and still get the appeal of it; Apple Music is my preferred service either way.
P.S. — RIP what.cd
One of the most underrated features of Apple Music, and you don't get data mined or feed Google advertising.Google Play Music allowed me to also upload my entire music collection for free, so that was nice.
Because of other reasons? That’s why competition exists. . . . .Spotify rightfully at #1. Don't know why anyone would use anything else.. especially Apple Music?