“On Wednesday Spotify revealed it now has ten million paying subscribers and 40 million active users. CEO and founder Daniel Ek spoke to Billboard about what the numbers say about where the industry and his own business is right now,” Yinka Adegoke reports for Billboard.
A few snippets:
Billboard: What does the Apple acquisition of Beats mean to Spotify?
Ek: There has been a lot of people speculating on the news and what it means. I don’t know. I don’t like speculating about things that haven’t happened.
Billboard: If Apple did buy a streaming service, do you generally think it makes the pie bigger or just more competitive?
Ek: The one thing I can say – we know streaming is the better model in music and we’ve said that for over 5 years — when everyone else said it wasn’t the case. I’ve always assumed Apple would offer a streaming service at some point – but we’re focusing on building the best possible product and feel pretty good about that. Users know the difference between something that really is the best product and not something that’s just bundled in – and 10 million subs is a good indication of that. We’re not fighting over market share here. The music industry is still smaller than it should be. And in the UK, we’re seeing that streaming (and we) are already growing the overall pie.
Read more in the full article here.
Related articles:
Apple strikes a new chord in the future of music with Beats acquisition – May 18, 2014
How Tim Cook buying Beats is like Steve Jobs buying SoundJam – May 18, 2014
Apple’s $3.2 billion Beats acquisition may not be finalized until next week – May 15, 2014
Monster CEO sounds a little bitter over Apple’s planned $3.2 billion Beats acquisition – May 14, 2014
Ben Thompson on possible Beats buy: Is Apple losing what makes Apple, Apple? – May 13, 2014
Nolan Bushnell: Beats is a ‘good deal for Apple,’ but it says Apple is ‘not an innovative tech company’ – May 13, 2014
Curated music influencing Apple’s jump into streaming – May 13, 2014
Beats Music is actually so good that I’m worried about Apple ruining it – May 13, 2014
Apple could become most powerful record label in the world with Dr Dre, Jimmy Iovine onboard – May 13, 2014
Bob Lefsetz on Apple-Beats deal: Tim Cook is an operations guy, he’s clueless, and the company has no vision</a – May 13, 2014
Apple CEO Tim Cook makes break from managerial style of Steve Jobs – May 12, 2014
Analyst Sacconaghi on Apple buying Beats: ‘We struggle with the rationale for this deal’ – May 12, 2014
Cody Willard: Apple’s Beats buy is just stupid
– May 12, 2014
Apple may unveil Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre executive appointments at WWDC – May 12, 2014
Apple CEO Tim Cook’s pursuit of Beats seen presaging more takeovers – May 12, 2014
Former eMusic CEO explains why Apple wants to buy Beats – May 12, 2014
Apple’s deep ties with Jimmy Iovine key driver of Beats deal – May 12, 2014
Removal of Dr. Dre video about Apple-Beats deal likely means acquisition is real and imminent – May 10, 2014
Game changer: Apple buying Beats could radically transform the digital music business – May 9, 2014
If Beats deal happens, Apple is acquiring a fad, not quality, and that is troubling – May 9, 2014
If Apple’s really buying Beats, here’s hoping it’s brilliant in a way which isn’t immediately obvious – May 9, 2014
The reason for Apple’s $3.2 billion interest in Beats? Spotify – May 9, 2014
Apple buying Beats Electronics: Its best idea since the iPad? – May 9, 2014
Why would Apple want to blow $3.2 billion on Beats Electronics? – May 8, 2014
Apple in talks to buy Beats Electronics for $3.2 billion – May 8, 2014
If spotify is worth $4Bn with 10 million subs, what is beats worth with 100,000 subs?
Beats is worthless 😉
If Apple’s Beats acquisition comes to pass, I’m sure they didn’t buy it for the subscriber base. Hope you didn’t think that was why the might be interested, because you’d be way off base if you did.
Well it isn’t for the cans.
Great insight! You’re right!
It’s obviously for Dr. Dre and his uncanny aptitude for smooth family friendly public relations. After all, isn’t Apple looking for new PR folks?
/s
Enlighten us…..
$3.2Bn is a ‘Google/Facebook’ amount of money to be spending. A year or two ago you could have bought Nokia and all their patents and Comms knowledge
I feel like apple is buying beats for the brand.. its VERY visible and taking over the apple brand esp in NYC.
All over you see those red headsets and headphones..
I think its an Ego thing…
But seriouly they should buy spotify..
and have Audio Technica make them some awesome headsets
The beats is like buying up a garbage dump full of ghetto crap
‘I’ve always assumed Apple would offer a streaming service’. – Me too, no brainer.
the deal is about profit margin. Beats made a lot of money.
Extrapolation of early numbers is aka a guess.
Apple isnt going to buy a company because it makes a lot of money – they have a lot of that themselves.
Its about strategic direction or key technologies – so what gives it an apparent ‘bubble’ value ?
“Spotify CEO: ‘I’ve always assumed Apple would [kill us with their own] streaming service’”
I’m guessing they didn’t say this to their original investors… It was more along the lines of “We’re hoping to get bought out by Apple”