Daniel Ek

Oh, I think it sort of depends on which markets you're kind of looking at it. But we were pretty much, it started happening in quite a few markets already 2020 and 2021. And in 2022, we were pretty much the market leader in most markets around the world. So three years. Yeah. From launch.

Oh, I think it sort of depends on which markets you're kind of looking at it. But we were pretty much, it started happening in quite a few markets already 2020 and 2021. And in 2022, we were pretty much the market leader in most markets around the world. So three years. Yeah. From launch.

We don't always know how fast this will be, but I think we had a pretty good sense that we could sort of iterate and improve our way, sort of hill climb from the mountain we were on when we saw the sort of initial traction.

We don't always know how fast this will be, but I think we had a pretty good sense that we could sort of iterate and improve our way, sort of hill climb from the mountain we were on when we saw the sort of initial traction.

But I think the contrarian bet we did, unlike many others did, was, you know, at the time when we launched, it was sort of viewed that you needed to have a different app for everything, right? Like you had to have a separate podcasting app, and podcasting and music were very different. And for us, it's just listening.

But I think the contrarian bet we did, unlike many others did, was, you know, at the time when we launched, it was sort of viewed that you needed to have a different app for everything, right? Like you had to have a separate podcasting app, and podcasting and music were very different. And for us, it's just listening.

And what we realized is we should use this base of what was then several hundred million people and today's way north of half a billion people and just serve them more stuff. And it turns out that like what we saw all the time, it wasn't like our music listeners weren't listening to podcasts. So why not use this experience and also recommend them great other stuff?

And what we realized is we should use this base of what was then several hundred million people and today's way north of half a billion people and just serve them more stuff. And it turns out that like what we saw all the time, it wasn't like our music listeners weren't listening to podcasts. So why not use this experience and also recommend them great other stuff?

And we went from there and then a year ago we also added audio books because that turned out to be another way to increase people's listening and that they were also spending time doing.

And we went from there and then a year ago we also added audio books because that turned out to be another way to increase people's listening and that they were also spending time doing.

Yeah, of course, you're right. Obviously, just because you have the distribution advantage doesn't mean it'll work. But I think going back to it, what's so amazing with the platform is every time we try to do something deliberate, sort of top-down, it's sort of failed.

Yeah, of course, you're right. Obviously, just because you have the distribution advantage doesn't mean it'll work. But I think going back to it, what's so amazing with the platform is every time we try to do something deliberate, sort of top-down, it's sort of failed.

And most of the time, actually, what we see is the inklings of something already existing on the platform and then growing from there. So I mentioned this at the beginning, but... Germany was sort of an early indicator for a lot of things for us, both in podcasting and in books.

And most of the time, actually, what we see is the inklings of something already existing on the platform and then growing from there. So I mentioned this at the beginning, but... Germany was sort of an early indicator for a lot of things for us, both in podcasting and in books.

And what I realized even before we launched books, for instance, was around 2018, we started seeing books showing up on the top list in Germany of the most sort of listen to music tracks, right? It wasn't music, it was clearly books, but it sort of made it all the way up to the top list.

And what I realized even before we launched books, for instance, was around 2018, we started seeing books showing up on the top list in Germany of the most sort of listen to music tracks, right? It wasn't music, it was clearly books, but it sort of made it all the way up to the top list.

And shortly thereafter, we started showing up as the biggest book distributor in the country, but we weren't even trying. And it was actually a pretty horrible experience to listen to books on Spotify. So when your product is being used in spite of it actually being a pretty terrible experience, you kind of know you've got something.

And shortly thereafter, we started showing up as the biggest book distributor in the country, but we weren't even trying. And it was actually a pretty horrible experience to listen to books on Spotify. So when your product is being used in spite of it actually being a pretty terrible experience, you kind of know you've got something.

So that was the sort of genesis for how we then were able to build and sort of expand.

So that was the sort of genesis for how we then were able to build and sort of expand.