Spotify is the Swedish music-streaming service launched in 2008. It was founded in Stockholm by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, who developed the service as a legal alternative to widespread music piracy.
Spotify began operating publicly in Sweden in October 2008. Its central model combined on-demand listening with advertising-supported free accounts and paid subscriptions, helping streaming become a major way to consume recorded music.
The company is often associated with Stockholm’s technology scene, but Spotify is not a Swedish record label or a music genre. Its headquarters remain in Stockholm, while the service operates internationally and offers music, podcasts, and audiobooks in many markets. A related fact readers often ask about is the meaning of “Spotify Wrapped”: it is the company’s annual personalized summary of a user’s listening activity.