How Spotify Built a Two-Sided Marketplace Within a Subscription
Business Models Explained with Fexingo: Subscription, Marketplace, SaaS, and Service Companies · 2026-06-18 · 12 min
Episode notes
In this episode of Business Models Explained, Lucas and Luna break down how Spotify evolved from a simple music-streaming subscription into a two-sided marketplace connecting artists, podcasters, and listeners. They explore Spotify's 2019 shift toward direct artist payments and podcast exclusives, the economics of its ad-supported tier versus premium subscriptions, and the tension between listener experience and creator monetisation. Using specific numbers like the 2025 milestone of 250 million premium subscribers and the 2026 rollout of Spotify's in-app audiobook marketplace, the hosts show how the company operates at the intersection of subscription revenue and platform network effects. If you've ever wondered why Spotify pushes podcasts so aggressively or how artists actually get paid, this episode gives you the structural answer. #Spotify #TwoSidedMarketplace #SubscriptionModel #StreamingEconomics #MusicIndustry #PodcastBusiness #Audiobooks #CreatorEconomy #PlatformBusiness #ArtistRoyalties #DanielEk #BusinessModel #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #DigitalMedia #AudioStreaming #MarketplaceStrategy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo