Who owns Spotify?

Year-end filings give us a glimpse into who owns and therefore effectively controls Spotify, the world’s #1 streaming music and podcast service.

The biggest block of Spotify shares is controlled by its two founders, Martin Lorentzon, who, as of January 3, 2023, owned 10.9% of the company’s total shares, and CEO Daniel Ek, who owns 7.3%.

Spotify’s largest institutional shareholders include Baillie Gifford & Co., which owns a 14.5% stake. T. Rowe Price, which owns 6.18%, and Morgan Stanley, which owns 3.66%.

Chinese tech and music giant Tencent owns 8.61% of shares, and Sony Group Corporation owns a 2.65%. Tencent also owns substantial positions in Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music.