For some, when the two words “spot” and “identity” are put together, they may recognize the largest audio streaming and media service in the world. However, for two Swedish tech entrepreneurs, it represented their way of tackling the piracy issue across the world. The humble beginnings of Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon prepared them for confronting this issue, which would later be something that plays a pivotal role in shaping the modern music industry.

The History 

In the early 2000s, digital music piracy was widespread across the globe. Whether due to the high cost of MP3 players, or limited access in certain  regions, music piracy grew instantly. Songs would be copied and distributed without consent by the owners and posted on illegal websites, accessible to a majority of the world. Piracy was a big issue, as it led to the loss of jobs, loss of earnings, and an overall financial damage to the music industry.

To address these piracy issues, Ek and Lorentzon developed a legal streaming surface where people across the globe could access their favorite songs and artists for free. Today, with over 626 million users, Spotify has become the world’s most popular audio streaming service,

offering more than 100 million tracks and over six million podcasts. The company now generates approximately $15.61 Billion USD in annual revenue, a number beyond what its founders initially envisioned.

The Impact 

Beyond its surface level purpose of acting as a platform for music, Spotify allows for a deeper connection to music by appealing to emotions through creativity and even comfort.

Little did Ek and Lorentzon know that their start up would end up evolving into an essential part of many peoples’ lives. According to Audioxie, “Spotify has revolutionized the way we consume music. From mood playlists to chaine learning algorithms, the streaming service has become the definitive tastemaker.” Spotify allows for a mutual benefit and relationship between itself and its users. It allows users to be creative and channel their emotions.

One of Spotify’s most influential features is its playlists. Listeners often discover new music on the platform through playlists. Playlists are tailored to offer music for our moods, special occasions, activities, and more. Making playlists has also become a personal hobby to many people. They allow for a broader view into the music world by opening the doors for so many different artists and genres that you probably wouldn’t listen to if you were just listening to the radio.

As Spotify grew in popularity over the years, it launched a premium option, where users could purchase different plans. Spotify premium includes no ads, unlimited skips, queues, offline listening, playing songs in any order, high audio quality, and downloading. The individual plan is $11.99 per month, however there are other plans such as family and student. These plans allow for a more immersive experience with music, ensuring innovation throughout the app and its playlists.

The impact that Spotify has made on people’s lives is tremendous. Whether that be by embracing creativity, acting as a hobby, appealing to emotions, or opening the eyes to the vast musical world, Spotify has affected people in numerous different ways.

The Personal Connection 

Terry Fabianski, a senior at Depaul College Prep in Chicago, has relied on Spotify to play a huge role throughout his life. Whether that be by creating playlists for his volleyball team, family hiking trips, or even one for studying, he finds music for any situation. The platform’s flexibility promotes numerous opportunities for creativity on the app which is something that he is greatly drawn to.

Fabianski said that playlists allow him to make something for himself, rather than having to listen to somebody else’s body of work; they allow him to restructure art into his own liking. He can combine and listen to different aspects of an artist’s discography and connect them together so he can enjoy and listen to what he likes the most, in comparison to skipping around an album.

Fabianski said, “Playlists are an opportunity to express yourself in an almost private way, because you don’t always have to share them, which has taught me that not everything has to be done for someone else.”

Fabianski also creates playlists for family events. For example, he created a playlist for his family’s hiking trip to Utah over this past summer by using Spotify’s collaborative playlists aspect to compile songs that suited everyone’s tastes. He wanted to make something they all could collaborate and listen to together. Fabianski said, “My family and I were able to connect through the variety of music we listened to throughout the trip, and I feel like we were able to grow closer through the shared experience.”

This family connection is something revealed throughout the different aspects of Spotify. Fabianski is on the Spotify premium family plan. He said, “My music tastes change frequently, and I wanted to be able to skip around with the touch of a button without ads.” He and his siblings got it as a Christmas gift. His siblings listen to music along with him, and his mom listens to podcasts and exclusive premium ebooks. Despite the differentiation throughout the family, all of Spotify’s features allow for his family to share accounts to listen to the things they love.