How Many Listeners Do the Major Music Streaming Platforms Have? (2025)

How Many Listeners Do the Major Music Streaming Platforms Have?

​Music streaming platforms are central to the way people listen to music today. Each platform has millions of active users. Here's a breakdown of how many listeners each platform has as of 2024, based on recent statistics.

1. Spotify

• Active Users: 500 million monthly active users (MAUs) as of Q2 2024.
• Premium Subscribers: 220 million paid subscribers.
• Growth: Spotify has grown steadily over the years, increasing its user base by 15-20% annually in recent years.

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Spotify remains the largest music streaming service in terms of user base. It offers a free, ad-supported tier as well as a paid subscription model that provides additional features like offline listening and no ads.

2. Apple Music

• Active Users: 120 million monthly active users as of 2024.
• Premium Subscribers: Apple Music does not report separate figures for free and paid users, but estimates suggest 80-90 million paid subscribers.
• Growth: Apple Music has seen slower but steady growth, particularly in the US and other English-speaking countries.

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Apple Music is a key player in the streaming industry, known for its integration with Apple devices and exclusive artist content. It’s a paid-only service, meaning it doesn’t offer a free tier like Spotify.

3. Amazon Music

• Active Users: Amazon Music has 80 million monthly active users.
• Premium Subscribers: Amazon Music Unlimited, the paid version, has around 32 million paid subscribers.
• Growth: Amazon Music has gained users thanks to Amazon Prime membership, which offers a discounted version of the streaming service.

Amazon Music benefits from its connection with Amazon’s broader ecosystem, including smart speakers like Alexa and Prime membership perks.

4. YouTube Music

• Active Users: YouTube Music has 80 million monthly active users.
• Premium Subscribers: YouTube Premium, which includes YouTube Music, has about 35 million subscribers.
• Growth: YouTube Music continues to grow rapidly, leveraging YouTube’s massive existing user base for music streaming.

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YouTube Music's success is tied to its integration with the main YouTube platform, offering video-based music content alongside traditional audio streaming.

5. Deezer

• Active Users: 19 million monthly active users as of 2024.
• Premium Subscribers: Deezer has about 9 million paid subscribers.
• Growth: Deezer has a smaller but loyal user base, especially in Europe and Latin America.

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Deezer is available in over 180 countries and offers both a free, ad-supported tier and paid options for higher-quality streaming and offline listening.

6. Tidal

• Active Users: Tidal has 5 million monthly active users.
• Premium Subscribers: Tidal has around 3 million paid subscribers.
• Growth: Tidal’s user base has grown slowly but steadily, with a focus on high-quality audio and exclusive content.

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Tidal is known for its lossless audio quality and exclusives from major artists. It appeals to audiophiles and fans of exclusive music releases.

7. Pandora

• Active Users: Pandora has 60 million monthly active users.
• Premium Subscribers: Pandora Premium, the paid service, has about 6 million subscribers.
• Growth: Pandora has been in decline in recent years, partly due to the dominance of Spotify and Apple Music.

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Pandora still remains popular in the U.S., offering both a free, ad-supported tier and a paid service with more features.

8. SoundCloud

• Active Users: SoundCloud has 300 million active listeners.
• Premium Subscribers: SoundCloud Go, the paid subscription, has about 5 million paid subscribers.
• Growth: SoundCloud has experienced steady growth, especially in the independent music scene.

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SoundCloud is known for hosting a wide range of independent and underground artists. It also offers both free and paid versions of its platform.

​Key Takeaways:

• Spotify dominates with 500 million active users, making it the leader in the streaming market.
• Apple Music and Amazon Music follow, each with over 100 million users.
• YouTube Music is catching up quickly, leveraging the power of YouTube's video content.
• Smaller platforms like Tidal, Deezer, and Pandora still have dedicated user bases, especially in certain regions.

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These figures show how competitive the streaming music market is and how each platform has found its niche. Whether it’s Spotify’s massive free user base, Apple Music’s exclusives, or YouTube Music’s video integration, each service offers something unique for listeners around the world.

​Amazon Music vs. Spotify: The Battle for the Top Spot

Amazon Music has been gaining ground, especially with its integration into the larger Amazon ecosystem. While Spotify remains the leader in terms of active users, Amazon Music’s growth has been fueled by its connection to Amazon Prime. Prime members have access to a more basic version of Amazon Music, while the full service (Amazon Music Unlimited) offers more content and features.
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Spotify's model, on the other hand, relies heavily on its free tier to attract users. This gives Spotify a broader global reach but also means it faces challenges in monetizing its large free user base. Amazon Music, being a more direct extension of Amazon's retail and tech services, is positioned to grow further as the company continues to bundle it with other offerings.

​The Impact of Exclusive Content and Partnerships

Exclusive content continues to be a major factor in attracting users. Apple Music has made significant inroads with exclusive albums and early releases from top artists like Drake, Taylor Swift, and Beyoncé. These exclusives often give Apple Music a temporary edge in the music streaming battle. Similarly, Spotify has invested in podcasts and exclusive content, with deals involving high-profile creators like Joe Rogan and Michelle Obama.
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YouTube Music's advantage is its video content. Many users enjoy listening to music on YouTube because they can easily switch between audio and video versions of the same song. YouTube Music capitalizes on this by integrating seamlessly with the broader YouTube platform.
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Amazon Music also benefits from exclusive releases, but its real strength lies in how it integrates with Amazon’s other services like Alexa and Fire TV. Users who own Amazon devices can play music through voice commands, making Amazon Music a convenient option for Amazon-centric households.

Global Reach and Regional Popularity

When it comes to global reach, Spotify leads the pack, operating in over 180 countries. Apple Music also has a strong international presence, with an emphasis on English-speaking countries and emerging markets.

Amazon Music, while available in many countries, is particularly strong in the U.S. and is still growing in other regions. YouTube Music has a unique advantage in regions where video content is especially popular, and it’s growing rapidly in Southeast Asia, India, and other parts of the world.
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Deezer and Tidal are more regional. Deezer has a strong following in Europe, particularly in France, and Latin America. Tidal, owned by Jay-Z, has targeted high-end audiophiles, focusing on offering superior sound quality. While it has not reached the global scale of Spotify or Apple Music, it continues to serve a dedicated niche audience.

Listener Behavior: Free vs. Paid Users

Across platforms, the balance between free and paid listeners varies. Spotify is the leader in free-tier users, with a massive 280 million free users, compared to 220 million paying subscribers. This large free user base drives ad revenue, which is a significant part of Spotify’s business model.

Apple Music, being a paid-only service, has 120 million users, most of whom are subscribers. This model limits the size of the user base but increases the platform’s revenue per user.

Amazon Music's free tier, available to Prime members, gives it a distinct advantage in terms of low-cost user acquisition. However, a smaller percentage of users upgrade to the full Amazon Music Unlimited service.
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Platforms like Deezer and Tidal also offer free tiers, but their free users make up a smaller proportion of their overall audience. The premium offerings are where these services see most of their growth and revenue.

The Future of Music Streaming

As we look ahead, the music streaming industry is expected to keep growing, with more users shifting to paid subscriptions. By 2025, global music streaming subscriptions are projected to surpass 600 million, with the number of free-tier users also increasing in tandem.

Spotify’s continued dominance is likely, but Apple Music and Amazon Music are positioned to challenge Spotify’s leadership, particularly in markets where they have strong brand recognition or ecosystem advantages. YouTube Music’s integration with video content and Amazon’s growing ecosystem of services could make them formidable competitors in the coming years.
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One key area of focus will be podcasting. Platforms like Spotify and Amazon are investing heavily in podcasts, which may attract more users who are interested in non-music content. The increasing popularity of podcasts could further shift the dynamics of the streaming market.

Conclusion

The global music streaming market is diverse, with each platform serving a slightly different audience. Spotify is the undisputed leader in terms of total active users, but Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music all have significant user bases and are growing fast. Tidal and Deezer cater to niche groups, offering high-quality audio or unique regional content.
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As competition grows, platforms will continue to innovate, using exclusive content, new features, and integration with other services to attract and retain listeners. The next few years will be crucial in determining how these services evolve and which platforms emerge as the ultimate leaders in the music streaming space.