The audio streaming service Spotify is available on computers and mobile devices with iOS and Android, boasting over 83 million subscribers and an average monthly of 100 million users across all platforms.
Currently, Spotify is available in 65 countries and is the leader in the music streaming market, providing users with a complete audio experience.
Spotify’s catalog includes over 35 million songs organized into more than 2 billion playlists created by users over time.
Next, we’ll explore more about what Spotify is and how it works.
How does Spotify work?
In summary, Spotify allows you to enjoy a wide variety of audio without needing to download or store files on your device, saving space. However, an internet connection is required to use the service (although subscribers have the option to download for offline listening).
Spotify offers comprehensive audio features: listening to music, creating playlists, discovering new artists and styles, as well as podcasts, videos, and much more, available in both free and subscription plans.
Can Spotify be used for free?
Yes, it is possible to create a free account with a valid email. In the free plan, you can access playlists, discover new content, and listen to songs available on the platform.
The main difference compared to Premium plans is the presence of ads between songs in the free plan, along with some restrictions such as the ability to skip multiple tracks in a row.
Spotify for Artists
Spotify pays royalties to artists who contribute their music to the service’s catalog, based on the number of times their songs are listened to by users. However, various factors such as copyright and listeners’ location can influence the amount received by each artist.
The account that determines how much money each musician will receive can vary depending on a series of factors. If you want to find out an estimate of how much artists receive from Spotify, the Spotify Royalties Calculator can help you.
A.I in Spotify
One of the most interesting aspects of Spotify is its ability to discover your tastes over time through artificial intelligence. The more you use it, the more accurate Spotify becomes in suggesting new music for you.
In the end, the service becomes an important source for discovering new sounds, artists, and genres that you might not otherwise listen to.
The most common way to interact with Spotify and discover its capabilities is through playlists, and there are the so-called ‘Daily Mixes’ that are updated daily by Spotify’s algorithm, based on what it understands you’re in the mood to listen to. It’s a great option for those moments when you’re not sure what you want to listen to.
You can also find playlists created by your friends and even playlists made by artists.
How much do Spotify plans cost?
As explained above, Spotify can be used for free or in a paid mode. Check out the prices of Premium plans and their features:
Premium Individual
- $10.99/month
- 1 access
- 15 hours/month of listening time from our audiobooks subscriber catalog
Premium Student
- $5.99/month
- 1 access
- For eligible students
- Access to Hulu
Premium Duo
- $14.99 / month
- 2 accesses
- 15 hours/month of listening time from our audiobooks subscriber catalog (plan manager only)
Premium Family
- For up to 6 family members living together
- $16.99 / month
- 6 Premium or Kids accesses
- Control explicit content
- Access to Spotify Kids
- 15 hours/month of listening time from our audiobooks subscriber catalog (plan manager only)
What are the benefits of joining Spotify Premium plans?
No ads
Free Spotify users have to deal with ads played between songs, which can be quite annoying.
Listen offline
You can download up to 10,000 tracks per device on up to 5 different devices. This feature is not the same as downloading an mp3 file.
Higher audio quality
Listen in extreme quality, which uses 320 kbps.
Listen in the order you want
Free Spotify users cannot skip multiple tracks in a row.
Jam function
Possibility to listen with friends in real time
On which devices can I listen?
Spotify can be used on various different devices, including:
- Mobile phones
- PC
- Smart TVs
- Alexa
- Video game consoles
- Bluetooth devices
Simultaneous use on more than one device is allowed only for Duo and Family plan users.
Sound quality
There are three options for audio quality on Spotify: normal, with Ogg Vorbis files at a sample rate of 96 kbps; high, which uses the same format but at a higher quality of 160 kbps; and extreme, where the quality jumps to 320 kbps.
It’s worth noting that heavier files consume more internet and device space, and only the first two – normal and high – can be used by participants of the free plan.
What is Spotify Wrapped?
For avid Spotify users, the most anticipated time of the year is the Spotify Wrapped, usually at the end of November or early December.
The Wrapped shows interesting information about users’ year, such as:
- Which songs, artists, music genres, podcasts, and others you listened to the most
- Your music and artists’ pattern every hour of the day
- Minutes listened and the average for the general population Number of artists played
- The playlist “Your Top Songs 2023,” with all the most listened tracks throughout your year
In 2023, new features arrived:
- Through “my musical world,” it was possible to see which locations have users with similar musical habits to yours;
- In the Top 5 Artists, check which months they were most listened to;
- Video messages from the most famous artists to the most loyal listeners;
- Through the Match tool, invite friends to combine each other’s 2023 Wrapped into a single playlist.
As technology and entertainment evolve, Spotify continues to stand out as one of the top choices for music lovers, offering an experience that combines discovery, accessibility, and sound quality.
