Spotify (SPOT -4.26%) is the preeminent player in the global music streaming space. Founded in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, the platform was designed to allow music lovers access to a quality selection of listening options while solving the issue of piracy plaguing the industry at the time.
As an early mover in the streaming space, Spotify has been able to amass and maintain significant market share through the years. Its freemium revenue model -- which consists of a free, ad-supported tier and a paid, ad-free tier -- and extensive library of audio options that range far beyond music continue to contribute to the growth of its massive user base.

NYSE: SPOT
Key Data Points
The music stock controls an approximately 32% share of the music streaming space worldwide, an impressive feat for a company that originated as a startup less than two decades ago. As of the first quarter of the Stockholm-based company’s fiscal 2024, Spotify had 615 million monthly active users globally. That figure represented a 19% increase from the year-ago period. Its cohort of premium subscribers (users who pay to access the ad-free tier) totaled 239 million at the end of the period, a 14% year-over-year hike.
Publicly Traded Company
As a publicly traded company, anyone can buy shares of Spotify. Here is a closer look at who owns the company, its board of directors, and ways that you can invest in this streaming stock if you want to add shares to your portfolio.
Who is the owner of Spotify?
Many individuals own shares of Spotify, but the majority of company shares are held by institutional investors, like banks and funds.
Spotify has been a publicly traded company since April 3, 2018. Its public debut was very different than the average stock, as Spotify opted for a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
This is a less common approach than the traditional method of an initial public offering, but companies that do not need to raise new capital and are more interested in allowing investors to buy and sell shares on the open market may opt for this approach.
Shareholder
Board of Directors
How to invest in Spotify
Because Spotify is a publicly traded company, if you have a brokerage account, you can buy shares of the entertainment stock yourself. If you don't currently have one, creating an account on your chosen brokerage platform takes minutes and makes investing in stocks fast and simple. Make sure you a select the brokerage that best fits your investment needs and goals.
You'll also want to figure out your budget before you invest in Spotify. Diversifying your investment capital across a wide range of stocks can help you better compound your returns with time. Even if you are a beginner and have a smaller amount to invest, investing consistently and dollar-cost averaging your capital into quality businesses you understand can grow your portfolio through the years.
Be sure to research any company you buy before you add it to your portfolio. You need to understand the company's financials, its business, and its profitability and ensure the investment is the right fit for your portfolio preferences and risk tolerance level.
When the time comes to buy shares through your brokerage account, you'll need to pull up your account and make sure it's funded. Then, enter the ticker SPOT in the search box and decide how many shares you want to buy. Many brokerage firms will also let you buy fractional shares of stocks. Once you've selected the number of shares you want, you can place your order.