"Spotify Employees Raise Concerns Over Lavish Spending Amid Layoffs"

Spotify employees are questioning the company's lavish spending on events, such as the annual Wrapped campaign party and the employee-only Spotifest music festival, while the company is laying off thousands of workers and trying to cut costs. Some employees feel that the event spending is excessive given the broader efforts at frugality, especially as the company has experienced multiple rounds of layoffs. The company defends these events as key to promoting artists, engaging listeners, and fostering a collaborative employee culture. Additionally, Spotify is looking to expand beyond music streaming to other businesses with more scalable economics, such as podcasts, audiobooks, and concert tickets, in an effort to address the tough economics of the music-streaming business.