All articles tagged with #daniel ek
Originally Published 3 months ago — by The Verge
Daniel Ek's resignation as Spotify CEO does little to change the company's controversial practices, including low artist payouts, AI misuse, and Ek's continued influence, leading many artists to remain skeptical about the platform's commitment to fair treatment and reform.
Originally Published 3 months ago — by NPR
Daniel Ek, co-founder and CEO of Spotify, announced he will step down as CEO on January 1, 2026, transitioning to an executive chairman role, as the company faces artist protests and criticism over artist payouts and ties to military technology investments. The company will be led by co-CEOs Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström, with Ek focusing on long-term strategy.
Originally Published 3 months ago — by Engadget
Daniel Ek is stepping down as Spotify CEO to become executive chairman, with co-CEOs Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström taking over leadership. Ek plans to focus on long-term company strategy and technology-driven initiatives, including investments in defense tech, amid ongoing challenges like AI-generated music and artist pushback.
Originally Published 3 months ago — by The Verge
Spotify founder Daniel Ek is stepping down as CEO after two decades, transitioning to an executive chairman role in 2026, with co-presidents Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström set to take over as co-CEOs, as Ek shifts focus to strategic and long-term initiatives.
Originally Published 3 months ago — by Spotify
Spotify announced that founder and CEO Daniel Ek will become Executive Chairman in January 2026, with Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström named as co-CEOs, reflecting a leadership evolution to support the company's continued growth and innovation.
Originally Published 4 months ago — by Rolling Stone
A growing number of indie artists are leaving Spotify in protest of CEO Daniel Ek's ties to the defense company Helsing, citing ethical concerns over military tech investments and AI weaponry, with notable bands like King Gizzard and Deerhoof leading the exodus to advocate for ethical practices in the music industry.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Fox Business
Spotify plans to raise prices for its Premium subscriptions in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Pakistan, and two other markets by about $1-$2 per month, with the increase expected to roll out by the end of the month. The company is also reportedly working on new subscription tiers, including one for music and podcasts priced at $11 without audiobook access, as it seeks to fund its audiobook offerings. CEO Daniel Ek noted the positive performance of the audiobook business and its potential during the company's fourth-quarter earnings report.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by TechCrunch
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek criticized Apple's compliance with the Digital Markets Act, calling it a "farce" and "extortion," but told investors there are potential "future upsides" for the company. While expressing concerns about Apple's new terms, including a Core Technology Fee and commission on external purchases, Ek also highlighted opportunities for Spotify, such as superfan clubs and in-app purchases, under the new rules. Despite the ongoing dispute, Spotify remains focused on leveraging the changes to benefit its business and creators, while hoping for further regulatory action from the European Commission.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Business Insider
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek criticizes Apple's proposed App Store changes, calling them a "new low" and "extortion, plain and simple." Apple's new fees for app distribution on third-party marketplaces, as part of compliance with the Digital Markets Act in the EU, have sparked outrage from Ek and other developers. The changes, which include a "core technology fee" for apps with over one million downloads, are seen as making it harder for companies like Spotify to acquire new customers. Apple defends the changes as offering developers choice and claims that more than 99% of developers would pay the same or less under the new terms. Ek hopes the EU will recognize the impact of these changes and take a stand against them.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Business Insider
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek announced that the company will be cutting around 1,500 jobs, or about 17% of its global workforce, and parting ways with its chief financial officer. Ek bluntly stated that the company had too many people "doing work around the work" and needed to become more productive and efficient. The decision comes as Spotify aims to bring spending in line with market expectations while continuing to fund growth, despite reporting a rare profit of $69 million in its most recent quarter. The move reflects a trend seen among Big Tech CEOs in America, emphasizing the need to eliminate fake work and focus on delivering real impact.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by The Wall Street Journal
Spotify is set to lay off 17% of its workforce, amounting to around 1,500 employees, as part of its efforts to increase profitability. This marks the third round of job cuts for the Stockholm-based music streaming company this year.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by NBC News
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek announced in an internal memo that the company will be laying off approximately 17% of its workforce, amounting to around 1,500 jobs, as part of efforts to reduce costs and adjust for a slowdown in growth. Ek acknowledged that Spotify had taken on too many employees during a period of cheap capital and now needs to rightsize its costs. The decision comes after Spotify reported a profit in the third quarter and raised subscription prices earlier this year. Ek emphasized the need for Spotify to become more efficient and resourceful in order to achieve its goals as the world's leading audio company.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by CNBC
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek announced in an internal memo that the company will be laying off approximately 17% of its workforce, amounting to around 1,500 jobs, as part of efforts to reduce costs and adjust for a slowdown in growth. Ek acknowledged that Spotify had taken on too many employees during a period of cheap capital and now needs to rightsize its costs. The decision comes after Spotify reported a profit in the third quarter and raised subscription prices earlier this year. The company has been expanding into podcasts and audio books but has faced challenges due to higher interest rates and a worsening macroeconomic backdrop.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Fortune
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek revealed in a podcast interview that he initially thought the idea of a music streaming platform was "terrible" before co-founding Spotify in 2006. Despite his reservations, Ek and his co-founder persevered through numerous challenges, including securing licenses from record labels and financial struggles. Spotify, which revolutionized the music industry by offering a legal and convenient alternative to piracy, has since become a massive success with over 500 million users and a valuation of around $30 billion. Ek credited his co-founder's optimism for helping him overcome the obstacles and turn Spotify into a streaming giant.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Inc.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek emphasizes the importance of listening and being open to ideas from his team. He admits that he initially didn't think the idea for "Discover Weekly" was special, but as his team built it, it became a hit. Ek believes that listening is an underrated skill and encourages leaders to become better listeners. He also advocates for leaders to let their teams pursue initiatives they're passionate about, even if they don't agree. Building a listening culture and practicing "disagree and commit" are key to fostering trust and promoting creativity within teams.