Does Amazon Own Spotify In 2024? (All You Need To Know)

With over 86 million songs and 456 million monthly active users, Spotify is the world‘s most popular music streaming service. Meanwhile, Amazon owns a massive ecosystem of digital content and devices. But does this tech giant also own the leading music app?

The short answer is no: Amazon does not own Spotify. However, the relationship between the two companies is complex. This in-depth guide will examine if Amazon owns Spotify, how Spotify and Amazon Music stack up, and the ties between the two streaming giants in 2024.

A Brief History of Spotify and Amazon Music

Let‘s first look at the origins and growth of each service.

The Rise of Spotify

Founded in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, Spotify revolutionized music listening by allowing users to instantly stream music online.

After launch in Europe, Spotify came to the US in 2011 and now has 456 million monthly active users worldwide.

The company went public in 2018 to further its growth. It has faced some criticism around artist compensation but remains the top global streaming service.

Amazon Music Plays Catch-Up

Amazon Music launched as Amazon MP3 in 2007 but initially just sold music downloads like iTunes.

Amazon transitioned into streaming in 2016 with Prime Music and has aggressively grown its subscriber base since then.

Experts estimate Amazon Music has about 90 million subscribers globally, though exact figures haven‘t been reported recently.

So while Spotify had a nearly 10 year head start, Amazon has leveraged its Prime loyalty program and devices ecosystem to gain ground. But it still trails the market leader.

Spotify vs. Amazon Music: How Do They Compare in 2024?

Now let‘s do a head-to-head comparison across some key metrics:

Both services boast massive music catalogs so no major difference there. However, Spotify still leads in subscribers by about 100 million based on most estimates.

For audio quality, Amazon Music edges out Spotify with support for 850kbps streaming and some songs in HD. Spotify maxes out at 320kbps across its entire catalog.

An area where Spotify dominates is device compatibility – it‘s available on pretty much any smartphone, tablet, computer or console. Amazon Music only works seamlessly with Amazon‘s Fire TV, Echo and Fire tablet devices.

Finally, Spotify offers unique personalized playlists fueled by data on listening habits. Amazon instead focuses more on Alexa voice integration, exclusive podcasts and high-quality audio.

So while they offer on-demand streaming libraries, their strategies around devices, audio quality, personalization and exclusive content differ.

Can You Access Spotify on Amazon Devices?

Given Amazon doesn‘t own Spotify, you might assume it wouldn‘t be available on Amazon devices.

However, Spotify does work on several Amazon products:

• Echo smart speakers – you can set Spotify as the default music service and use Alexa voice commands to control playback.

• Fire TV – download the Spotify app from the Amazon Appstore to stream from your TV.

• Fire tablets – get the Spotify app on Fire tablets like the Fire HD 10.

So despite the companies having competing services, Amazon allows Spotify on its devices to satisfy customer demand.

But the Spotify integration is not as deep as Amazon Music. For example, you can‘t ask Alexa to play Spotify playlists or stations, just to search and play specific tracks.

Does Amazon Sell Spotify Gift Cards and Subscriptions?

Beyond devices, Spotify also leverages Amazon‘s massive ecommerce platform to boost subscriptions.

Both physical and digital Spotify gift cards are available on Amazon. These allow you to gift Spotify Premium without needing the recipient‘s account details.

For Prime Day 2022, Amazon even offered 40% off 3-month Spotify Premium gift cards – a great deal for new Spotify subscribers.

So Amazon helps market Spotify subscriptions to its broad audience. However, you currently can‘t purchase monthly Spotify plans directly from Amazon yet.

Could Amazon Acquire Spotify in the Future?

While Amazon doesn‘t currently own Spotify, some analysts speculate it could attempt to acquire Spotify to bolster its streaming ambitions.

For example, Forbes recently reported that buying Spotify could cost between $50-70 billion based on its current valuation. A huge sum, but within reach for Amazon.

Here are some pros and cons if Amazon did purchase Spotify:

Pros:

• Gain Spotify‘s 180+ million paying subscribers
• Eliminate a top competitor
• Add Spotify‘s personalized playlists and podcasts
• Leverage jointly against Apple Music

Cons:

• Requires massive upfront investment
• Risk of antitrust scrutiny
• Cultural integration challenges
• May alienate artists and labels

Personally, I think an acquisition is unlikely in the near-term unless Spotify struggles.

But long-term, Amazon may decide absorbing Spotify is necessary to dominate music streaming, like it‘s done in other content areas.

The Bottom Line

While Amazon doesn‘t currently own Spotify, the two companies have an intriguing relationship.

On one hand, they are competitors in the music streaming space. But Spotify has still successfully infiltrated parts of Amazon‘s ecosystem.

Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see if Amazon tries to acquire Spotify down the road as its influence grows.

For now, music fans can comfortably use Spotify knowing it‘s not owned, operated or directly influenced by Amazon.