Spotify paid out a record $11 billion into the music industry last year

"Last year, Spotify paid out more than $11 billion to the music industry, bringing the company's total payouts since launch to nearly $70 billion. The milestone year reflected the "largest annual payment to music from any retailer in history," the company announced on Wednesday in a post. In 2025, Spotify's payout amount grew by over 10%, making the Sweden-based streamer one of the industry's main revenue drivers."

"When music streaming was first introduced, there was some controversy about how much artists earn from streams. According to Spotify, independent artists and labels accounted for half of all royalties. Additionally, the company said there are currently more artists earning over $100,000 a year from Spotify alone than were getting stocked on shelves at the height of the compact disc era."

"Founded in 2006, the company, with a large presence in L.A.'s Arts District, has become the world's most popular audio streaming subscription service. The platform offers access to over 100 million tracks, podcasts and audiobooks in over 180 markets. At the top of the year, founder Daniel Ek moved from his CEO position to executive chairman. Spotify named two co-CEOs, Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström in his place."

Spotify paid more than $11 billion to the music industry last year, bringing total payouts since launch to nearly $70 billion. Payouts grew over 10% in 2025, positioning Spotify as a major revenue driver. Independent artists and labels accounted for half of all royalties. More artists now earn over $100,000 annually from Spotify than were stocked on shelves during the compact-disc peak. The platform provides access to over 100 million tracks, podcasts and audiobooks across more than 180 markets. Founder Daniel Ek moved to executive chairman and two co-CEOs were named. Premium US pricing rose to $12.99 to support expansion.

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