Spotify Newsletter

#316 | Your Weekly Dose of Spotify News

Aug 07, 2026

★ SPOTlight

⭐️ Welcome to @ThisIsSpotify’s Superfan Era

Breaking down our new approach to data, culture, and fandom on social media.

⭐️ Spotify Notches 300 Million Premium Subscribers

Spotify gained 7 million paying subscribers in Q2 2026, over its previous guidance and pushing the base of Premium customers to 300 million.

⭐️ Spotify’s fan-made covers and remix tool now includes Merlin’s independent label members

The licensing deal for Spotify’s upcoming fan-made covers and remixing tool will give listeners a new way to engage with music from participating artists and songwriters. The agreement enables artists on labels under Merlin’s Spotify agreement the option to participate.

⭐️ From Models to Products: LLMs for Recommendation at Spotify Scale

Recommender systems have become a regular part of our lives, from the home pages of our favorite apps and websites to the music we hear, the shows we watch, and beyond. For users of Spotify, opening the app to a personally curated view capturing their tastes is a key part of their experience.

⭐️ Spotify Is Gaining Ground on Melon in South Korea, Data Shows

Has Spotify topped Melon in South Korea’s ultra-competitive streaming arena? Yes, per one market research firm – and not quite, according to another, with both nevertheless pointing to strong gains for global DSPs.