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Spotify already has a million subscribers in India

By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 5 March 2019

While getting busy testing the reach of the compulsory licences available under the country’s copyright laws, Spotify also signed up a million users during its first few days streaming away in India.

The market-leading premium streaming firm finally went live in the world’s second most populous country last week, of course. Although not without a last minute highly public spat with Warner Music.

The mini-major wouldn’t license its Anglo-American songs catalogue to the steaming firm’s Indian service. That would have impacted on Spotify’s ability to stream recordings controlled by other labels that feature songs at least in part published by Warner/Chappell.

However, Spotify decided it could probably rely on some compulsory licences that are available under Indian copyright law to cover those song rights. Warner angrily disagreed, seeking a court order that would block the use of any compulsory licences by an on-demand streaming service in the country. That legal spat is ongoing.

Meanwhile, a million Indian consumers have joined the Spotify party. That includes both free and premium users, of course, with the steaming firm not willing to break down that stat by subscription type.

With countries as populous as India, big numbers are the norm, but a million subscribers within a week is impressive nevertheless. Though, of course, it remains to be seen whether those impressive growth rates can be maintained, while the labels will be more focused on long-term revenue potential than user acquisition stats.

Still, a million users in a week and a nice messy legal squabble with Warner. Good times!