Apple Music Now Has More US-Based Subscribers than Spotify

Citing confidential details shared by a major US-based distributor, Digital Music News is reporting that Apple Music has more paying subscribers in the United States than Spotify, and is now ranked first among primarily on-demand music streaming services in the country.

While both Apple Music and Spotify have more than 20 million subscribers in America, Apple is now slightly ahead. The report also shows that Apple is experiencing a far stronger rate-of-growth in the United States, hinting at a much bigger lead over the coming months.

Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple’s US-based subscriber growth rate was 5% in the U.S., compared to Spotify’s 2%. 

A recent head-to-head battle involving Drake’s latest album, Scorpion, revealed some surprising differences.  Overall, Apple Music scored 170 million streams of album tracks during the first week, while Spotify amassed an estimated 130 million.

The disparity strongly suggests that Apple is achieving far better user engagement, especially given Spotify’s extreme promotional push for the release.

Apple Music currently has more than 45 million subscribers worldwide, with an additional 5-10 million estimated free trial users. Meanwhile, Spotify has over 70 million paying subscribers worldwide, with roughly 160 million overall users.