Spotify’s Stealth Social Network
My introduction to Spotify was a social experience. In its early years, Spotify utilized a peer-to-peer (P2P) network to reduce server load and speed up music delivery. This technology allowed users to stream music not just from Spotify’s servers, but also from other Spotify users’ computers. While Spotify’s social features weren’t as extensive as platforms like MySpace, the user experience felt collaborative and connected.
Today, I connect with friends all around the world through music. We collaborate on playlists, start jam sessions and share what we’re listening to in real time.
Spotify is the world’s premier music provider, owning 32% of the paid streaming market. The company serves 678M monthly active users, with 268M paying for premium. What’s more profound is that users spend an average of 2.4 hours a day on the platform.
Spotify isn’t just a streaming service. It’s where people live their audio lives. But it’s not just audio anymore…
The company dipped its toes into video in 2020 publishing select video podcasts. It was gated to noteworthy creators, but quickly spread. By 2024, the platform served more than 250,000 video podcasts, drawing in more than 170M viewers.
In 2023, Spotify introduced “Clips” – short, vertical videos under 30 seconds built for artists and podcasts to promote their work. The TikTok-style clips became a core strategy to Spotify’s discovery feed.
Last summer, Spotify added a new social component — podcast comments. The feature allows consumers to comment on content, engaging with their favorite shows without leaving the app.
We’re seeing fragments of a social network. Spotify started as a streaming platform, but it has organically evolved.
It isn’t building a traditional social network, but the pieces are falling into place – video, comments, short clips, and direct creator connections. It’s no longer just about playing music. It’s reshaping how we interact with it, discover it, and share it.
The question isn’t if Spotify goes social. The question is – how far will they take it?
Let The Charts Speak
$SPOT is hot. Since Jan. 1, 2023, the stock is up +800%. The weekly chart is a work of art.
If you enjoy this post, please share it with a friend.
Godspeed – Rosebee
