Spotify’s latest quarterly results pair a larger paying audience with a push to give listeners more control over discovery and emerging artists more support.
Spotify ended the third quarter of 2026 with 306 million Premium subscribers, up 9% from a year earlier, as its total monthly audience reached 788 million. The October 22 results put the streaming platform’s continuing expansion alongside changes to how people find music, podcasts and audiobooks.
The company reported €5 billion in revenue and €672 million in operating income, with gross margin reaching 33%. Both margin and operating income exceeded its expectations, according to Spotify’s quarterly announcement, which also outlined wider audiobook availability and new creator offerings.
For listeners, one of the more tangible changes is Taste Profile, a beta feature that lets Premium subscribers aged 18 and older tell Spotify what they want more or less of on their Home feed. Its U.S. rollout followed testing in New Zealand, making recommendation control a visible product feature rather than something listeners can influence only through their playback habits.
The tool shows Spotify’s interpretation of a person’s interests across music, podcasts and books, then accepts written guidance about what should change. Users can ask to explore another genre or steer away from material that no longer fits; Spotify says adjustments typically appear within a few hours, and notes can be edited or removed.
The artist-facing counterpart is Fresh Finds Forward, introduced in September with plans to support approximately 10,000 emerging independent artists annually. Eligible artists added to Fresh Finds playlists from January 1, 2026, are invited through Spotify for Artists and can access benefits for 12 months after joining, extending support beyond the moment of playlist placement.
Those benefits include selected digital production tools, networking opportunities and free studio time for U.S.-based participants at named facilities. Taken together, the initiatives show two distinct sides of Spotify’s growth strategy: making its larger audience’s listening experience more personal while offering developing artists practical ways to build on discovery.
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