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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Daniel Ek
| name         = Daniel Ek
| birth_name = Daniel Georg Ek
| birth_name   = Daniel Georg Ek
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|2|21}}
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1983|2|21}}
| birth_place = Stockholm, Sweden
| birth_place = [[Stockholm]], Sweden
| nationality = Swedish
| nationality = Swedish
| occupation = Businessman, technologist
| occupation   = Businessman, technologist
| known_for = Co-founding [[Spotify]]
| known_for   = Co-founding [[Spotify]]
| title = Executive Chairman of Spotify
| title       = Executive Chairman, Spotify
| children = 2
| children     = 2
| awards = ''Billboard'' Power 100 No. 1 (2017), Politico 28 (2017)
}}
}}


'''Daniel Georg Ek''' (born 21 February 1983) is a Swedish businessman and technologist who co-founded [[Spotify]], the music-streaming service that grew into one of the largest audio platforms in the world. Ek served as Spotify's chief executive officer from its founding in 2006 until announcing in September 2025 that he would transition to the role of executive chairman in January 2026.<ref name="cnbc-stepdown">{{cite news |date=2025-09-30 |title=Spotify founder Daniel Ek stepping down as CEO, company names co-CEOs to replace him |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/30/spotify-founder-daniel-ek-stepping-down.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Under his leadership, Spotify expanded from a Swedish startup into a publicly traded company with more than 140 million active users by mid-2017<ref name="verge-users">{{cite web |title=Spotify now has 140 million active users |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/15/15807826/spotify-140-million-active-users |publisher=The Verge |date=2017-06-15 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> and continued growing in the years that followed. Ek's approach to the music industry—built on the premise that a legal, convenient streaming service could compete with piracy—reshaped how recorded music is distributed and consumed globally. His career trajectory, from teenage web developer in Stockholm to leader of a multibillion-dollar technology company, has made him one of the most prominent figures in both the Swedish tech sector and the international music business.
'''Daniel Georg Ek''' (born 21 February 1983) is a Swedish businessman and technologist who co-founded [[Spotify]], the internet music-streaming service that grew into the world's largest platform of its kind. From the company's founding in 2006 through nearly two decades of leadership as chief executive officer, Ek guided Spotify from a Stockholm startup into a publicly traded global enterprise with hundreds of millions of users. In September 2025, Ek announced he would transition from the role of CEO to executive chairman effective January 2026, handing day-to-day operational leadership to co-CEOs Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström while retaining significant influence over the company's strategic direction.<ref name="cnbc-stepdown">{{cite news |date=2025-09-30 |title=Spotify founder Daniel Ek stepping down as CEO, company names co-CEOs to replace him |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/30/spotify-founder-daniel-ek-stepping-down.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref name="spotify-newsroom">{{cite web |title=Spotify Announces Leadership Evolution: Daniel Ek to Become Executive Chairman, Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström to Become Co-CEOs in January 2026 |url=https://newsroom.spotify.com/2025-09-30/spotify-announcement-daniel-ek-executive-chairman/ |publisher=Spotify Newsroom |date=2025-09-30 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Ek's career has been defined by his early immersion in technology and entrepreneurship in Sweden's digital economy, his conviction that legal streaming could compete with music piracy, and his role in reshaping how recorded music is distributed and consumed worldwide. He has been recognized as one of the most influential figures in the music industry and the broader technology sector.<ref name="billboard-power">{{cite news |last= |first= |date= |title=No. 1 Power 100: Daniel Ek, Spotify |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7685308/no-1-power-100-daniel-ek-spotify |work=Billboard |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Daniel Georg Ek was born on 21 February 1983 in Stockholm, Sweden.<ref name="britannica">{{cite web |title=Daniel Ek {{!}} Biography, Spotify, & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/money/Daniel-Ek |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |date= |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> He displayed an early aptitude for technology and entrepreneurship. According to a profile in ''The Guardian'', Ek began building websites as a teenager and quickly recognized the commercial potential of the internet.<ref name="guardian-2013">{{cite news |date=2013-11-10 |title=Daniel Ek: 'Spotify will be worth tens of billions' |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/10/daniel-ek-spotify-streaming-music |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Growing up in Sweden during the 1990s and early 2000s, Ek was part of a generation of Scandinavian technologists who came of age alongside the rapid expansion of broadband internet access in the Nordic countries.
Daniel Georg Ek was born on 21 February 1983 in [[Stockholm]], Sweden.<ref name="britannica">{{cite web |title=Daniel Ek {{!}} Biography, Spotify, & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/money/Daniel-Ek |publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica |date= |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> He grew up in the Swedish capital and displayed an early aptitude for computers and technology. Ek began coding and building websites as a teenager, reportedly developing an interest in the internet's commercial potential at a young age.


Ek's early ventures in technology gave him experience with web development and digital advertising. A ''Telegraph'' profile noted that Ek had demonstrated entrepreneurial ambitions from a young age, building a series of small technology businesses before he had finished his formal education.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite news |title=Daniel Ek profile: 'Spotify will be worth tens of billions' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/7259509/Daniel-Ek-profile-Spotify-will-be-worth-tens-of-billions.html |work=The Telegraph |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Sweden's tech ecosystem, which also produced companies such as Skype and King, provided a fertile environment for Ek's early development as an entrepreneur.
His early entrepreneurial activities in Sweden's burgeoning tech scene provided him with formative experience in internet-based businesses. Before founding Spotify, Ek was involved with several technology ventures, gaining familiarity with peer-to-peer technology and online advertising. Among the services linked to his early career history was [[uTorrent]], a BitTorrent client — a connection that would later draw attention given Spotify's positioning as a legal alternative to music piracy.<ref name="torrentfreak">{{cite news |date=2014-11-12 |title=Spotify Reminded of uTorrent Past After Branding Grooveshark "Pirates" |url=https://torrentfreak.com/spotify-reminded-of-utorrent-past-after-branding-grooveshark-pirates-141112/ |work=TorrentFreak |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> This background in peer-to-peer networking technology would prove instrumental in the technical architecture of Spotify's early streaming platform.


Before founding Spotify, Ek had exposure to the world of peer-to-peer file sharing, which was particularly prominent in Sweden—the home country of both The Pirate Bay and the BitTorrent client uTorrent. TorrentFreak reported on connections between Spotify's early history and the peer-to-peer technology landscape, noting that Ek had been involved with uTorrent prior to Spotify's creation.<ref name="torrentfreak">{{cite web |title=Spotify Reminded of uTorrent Past After Branding Grooveshark 'Pirates' |url=https://torrentfreak.com/spotify-reminded-of-utorrent-past-after-branding-grooveshark-pirates-141112/ |publisher=TorrentFreak |date=2014-11-12 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> This background in peer-to-peer technology would prove significant in shaping Spotify's early technical architecture, which initially incorporated peer-to-peer elements for music delivery before the company transitioned away from the approach in 2014.<ref name="gigaom">{{cite web |title=Spotify gives up on P2P technology for music streaming |url=https://gigaom.com/2014/04/16/spotify-gives-up-on-p2p-technology-for-music-streaming/ |publisher=GigaOm |date=2014-04-16 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Growing up in Sweden — a country that produced both [[Pirate Bay]] and a series of successful technology companies — Ek was shaped by a cultural environment in which digital innovation, particularly in music and media, was at the forefront of public discourse. The Swedish music industry, one of the world's largest exporters of music per capita, had been severely affected by piracy in the early 2000s, providing both context and motivation for Ek's eventual focus on creating a legal, accessible streaming model.


== Career ==
== Career ==
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=== Founding of Spotify ===
=== Founding of Spotify ===


In 2006, Daniel Ek co-founded Spotify alongside Martin Lorentzon, a Swedish entrepreneur who had previously co-founded the digital marketing company Tradedoubler.<ref name="britannica" /> The company was conceived as a response to the rampant music piracy that had plagued the recording industry throughout the early 2000s. Ek's central thesis was that piracy could be defeated not through litigation or digital rights management, but by offering consumers a legal alternative that was more convenient than illegal downloading.<ref name="guardian-2013" />
In 2006, Ek co-founded Spotify alongside [[Martin Lorentzon]], a Swedish entrepreneur who had previously co-founded the digital marketing company Tradedoubler.<ref name="britannica" /> The company was conceived as a response to the widespread piracy that had disrupted the music industry, offering a legal alternative that could compete with illegal file-sharing services by providing instant, on-demand access to a vast catalogue of music. The core premise was that if music could be made easily and instantly accessible — and either free with advertising or available through a paid subscription — consumers would choose the legal option over piracy.


In an interview with ''The Guardian'' in 2013, Ek articulated this philosophy: the key was to create a service that provided instant access to a vast catalog of music, making it easier and more appealing to stream legally than to pirate.<ref name="guardian-2013" /> The company launched its service in select European markets, operating initially on an invitation-only basis. Spotify's early technical infrastructure drew on peer-to-peer technology to supplement its server-based streaming, reducing bandwidth costs and improving playback speed for users.<ref name="gigaom" /> This architecture reflected Ek's familiarity with peer-to-peer systems from his earlier career.<ref name="torrentfreak" />
Spotify's early technology drew on peer-to-peer architecture to facilitate fast streaming, leveraging some of the same underlying principles that had powered file-sharing networks, but within a licensed framework.<ref name="gigaom-p2p">{{cite news |date=2014-04-16 |title=Spotify gives up on P2P technology for music streaming |url=https://gigaom.com/2014/04/16/spotify-gives-up-on-p2p-technology-for-music-streaming/ |work=GigaOm |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The service launched in Sweden and select European markets before gradually expanding. Securing licensing agreements with major record labels was a significant challenge in the company's early years, as the music industry was cautious about any model that offered free, ad-supported listening.


Spotify's business model offered both a free, advertising-supported tier and a premium subscription tier. This freemium approach differentiated it from competitors and allowed the service to build a large user base quickly. The free tier served as a funnel to convert casual listeners into paying subscribers, a strategy that would prove central to Spotify's growth trajectory.
Ek articulated his vision for Spotify as a platform that would serve both listeners and artists. In a 2013 interview with ''The Guardian'', he discussed the company's ambitions and the challenges of building a music-streaming business in an industry still grappling with the transition from physical and download-based sales to streaming.<ref name="guardian-2013">{{cite news |date=2013-11-10 |title=Daniel Ek: Spotify and streaming music |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/10/daniel-ek-spotify-streaming-music |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


=== Growth and Expansion ===
=== Growth and Expansion ===


Under Ek's leadership, Spotify expanded rapidly from its Scandinavian base into markets across Europe and, eventually, into the United States and other regions worldwide. By June 2017, the company reported more than 140 million active users globally.<ref name="verge-users" /> A ''Forbes'' profile in 2012 described Ek as "the most important man in music," highlighting his role in reshaping the recorded music industry's business model at a time when physical sales and digital downloads were both declining.<ref name="forbes-2012">{{cite web |title=Spotify's Daniel Ek: The Most Important Man In Music |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2012/01/04/spotifys-daniel-ek-the-most-important-man-in-music/3/#c16c443218ed |publisher=Forbes |date=2012-01-04 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Under Ek's leadership, Spotify grew rapidly through the 2010s. The company expanded from its initial European markets into the United States and, eventually, into dozens of countries around the world. By June 2017, the platform had reached 140 million active users.<ref name="verge-140m">{{cite news |date=2017-06-15 |title=Spotify reaches 140 million active users |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/15/15807826/spotify-140-million-active-users |work=The Verge |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


The company's growth, however, was accompanied by significant financial challenges. A ''Fortune'' report in 2016 noted that while Spotify's revenue was increasing, its operating losses were widening as well, reflecting the high cost of music licensing and the company's investments in expansion.<ref name="fortune-2016">{{cite news |date=2016-05-24 |title=Spotify Revenue Up, Operating Loss Widens |url=http://fortune.com/2016/05/24/spotify-revenue-up-operating-loss-widens/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Ek faced the ongoing challenge of negotiating licensing agreements with major record labels while simultaneously trying to build a profitable business.
The company's growth was accompanied by ongoing financial challenges. A 2016 analysis of Spotify's financial results showed that while the company's revenue was increasing, its operating losses were also widening.<ref name="fortune-2016">{{cite news |date=2016-05-24 |title=Spotify Revenue Up, Operating Loss Widens |url=http://fortune.com/2016/05/24/spotify-revenue-up-operating-loss-widens/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The economics of music streaming — in which a significant share of revenue is paid out in royalties to rights holders — posed persistent profitability challenges. Ek navigated these pressures while continuing to invest in the platform's expansion, product development, and user acquisition.


Throughout this period, Ek engaged publicly and sometimes contentiously with various stakeholders in the music industry. In a ''Billboard'' interview in 2015, Ek discussed Spotify's relationship with record labels and responded to criticisms from artists such as Taylor Swift, who had removed her music from the platform in a high-profile dispute over streaming royalties.<ref name="billboard-2015">{{cite news |title=Daniel Ek, Spotify CEO, on Streaming, Features, Tidal, Apple, Record Labels, Taylor Swift |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6590101/daniel-ek-spotify-ceo-streaming-feature-tidal-apple-record-labels-taylor-swift |work=Billboard |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Ek argued that streaming was ultimately beneficial for artists and the industry, providing a sustainable revenue stream as an alternative to piracy.
In 2014, Spotify moved away from its original peer-to-peer streaming architecture in favor of a fully server-based model.<ref name="gigaom-p2p" /> This transition reflected the maturation of the platform's infrastructure and the increasing availability of cloud-based delivery systems capable of handling the service's growing user base.


In 2014, Spotify made the technical decision to abandon its peer-to-peer streaming architecture in favor of a fully server-based model. GigaOm reported that the shift reflected the company's maturity and its ability to invest in server infrastructure as it scaled.<ref name="gigaom" /> The move also addressed concerns about the peer-to-peer model's reliability and the increasing availability of high-speed internet connections among users.
Ek also had to manage Spotify's relationship with Sweden itself. In 2016, reports indicated that Spotify had threatened to leave Sweden due to concerns about the country's housing market and difficulties in attracting and retaining international talent, prompting a public discussion about whether Sweden's policies were adequately supporting its technology companies.<ref name="qz-sweden">{{cite news |date=2016 |title=Sweden must change quickly: Spotify threatens to leave the country |url=https://qz.com/661319/sweden-must-change-quickly-spotify-threatens-to-leave-the-country/ |work=Quartz |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Spotify's rapid growth also created tensions with its home country. In 2016, Quartz reported that Spotify had threatened to leave Sweden, citing the country's need to adapt its policies to better support fast-growing technology companies.<ref name="qz-sweden">{{cite news |date=2016 |title=Sweden must change quickly: Spotify threatens to leave the country |url=https://qz.com/661319/sweden-must-change-quickly-spotify-threatens-to-leave-the-country/ |work=Quartz |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The threat highlighted the broader challenges faced by European technology companies competing in a global market dominated by American firms.
=== Spotify's Public Listing and Continued Leadership ===


=== Leadership Transitions ===
In October 2016, co-founder Martin Lorentzon stepped down as chairman of Spotify's board, and Ek assumed the role of chairman in addition to his position as CEO.<ref name="tc-chairman">{{cite news |date=2016-10-14 |title=Spotify co-founder Martin Lorentzon steps down as chairman, CEO Daniel Ek steps up |url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/14/spotify-co-founder-martin-lorentzon-steps-down-as-chairman-ceo-daniel-ek-steps-up/ |work=TechCrunch |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> This consolidation of leadership gave Ek direct control over both the company's strategic direction and its day-to-day management.


In October 2016, Spotify co-founder Martin Lorentzon stepped down as chairman of the board, and Ek assumed the role of chairman in addition to his duties as CEO.<ref name="techcrunch-chairman">{{cite web |title=Spotify co-founder Martin Lorentzon steps down as chairman, CEO Daniel Ek steps up |url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/14/spotify-co-founder-martin-lorentzon-steps-down-as-chairman-ceo-daniel-ek-steps-up/ |publisher=TechCrunch |date=2016-10-14 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> This consolidation of roles gave Ek greater control over both the company's strategic direction and its day-to-day operations during a critical period of growth and preparation for the company's eventual public listing.
Spotify went public in April 2018 through an unusual direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange, bypassing the traditional initial public offering process. The direct listing was seen as consistent with Ek's approach to challenging conventional practices in the industries in which Spotify operated.


Ek continued to invest personally in Spotify's development. Reports indicated that he invested $50 million of his own funds into the platform, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to the company's success.<ref name="sendstory">{{cite web |title=Daniel Ek pumps $50 million |url=https://sendstory.co/news/daniel-ek-pumps-50-million |publisher=SendStory |date= |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref name="telangana">{{cite news |title=Spotify CEO Daniel Ek pumps $50 mn into his music streaming platform |url=https://telanganatoday.com/spotify-ceo-daniel-ek-pumps-50-mn-into-his-music-streaming-platform |work=Telangana Today |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
As a public company, Spotify continued to expand its offerings beyond music. The company made significant investments in podcasting, acquiring studios and exclusive content deals in an effort to diversify its audio platform. By the first quarter of 2019, Spotify reported 217 million monthly active users, including 100 million premium subscribers.<ref name="spotify-q1-2019">{{cite web |title=Spotify Reports First Quarter 2019 Earnings |url=https://newsroom.spotify.com/2019-04-29/spotify-reports-first-quarter-2019-earnings/ |publisher=Spotify Newsroom |date=2019-04-29 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


On 30 September 2025, Spotify announced a major leadership evolution. Ek revealed that he would step down as CEO in January 2026 and transition to the role of executive chairman.<ref name="cnbc-stepdown" /> The company named Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström as co-CEOs to succeed him.<ref name="spotify-pr">{{cite web |title=Spotify Announces Leadership Evolution: Daniel Ek to Become Executive Chairman, Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström to Become Co-CEOs in January 2026 |url=https://newsroom.spotify.com/2025-09-30/spotify-announcement-daniel-ek-executive-chairman/ |publisher=Spotify Newsroom |date=2025-09-30 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Throughout this period, Ek remained the primary public face of the company, engaging with artists, record labels, policymakers, and investors.<ref name="billboard-interview">{{cite news |date= |title=Daniel Ek: Spotify CEO on Streaming, Tidal, Apple, Record Labels, Taylor Swift |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6590101/daniel-ek-spotify-ceo-streaming-feature-tidal-apple-record-labels-taylor-swift |work=Billboard |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> He addressed criticism from artists who argued that streaming royalties were insufficient, and he navigated competitive challenges from Apple Music, Amazon Music, and other rivals.


In a letter to Spotify employees shared publicly on the same day, Ek explained his reasoning for the transition, framing it as an evolution in how the company would be led rather than a departure.<ref name="spotify-letter">{{cite web |title=Evolving How We Lead |url=https://newsroom.spotify.com/2025-09-30/daniel-ek-letter-evolving-how-we-lead/ |publisher=Spotify Newsroom |date=2025-09-30 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The BBC reported that Ek was stepping down after nearly two decades at the helm of the music streaming service.<ref name="bbc-stepdown">{{cite news |date=2025-09-30 |title=Spotify founder Daniel Ek to step down as chief executive |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3rv35xp07lo |work=BBC News |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> NPR described Ek as "the most visible face of the company" throughout its growth into the world's largest music streaming service.<ref name="npr-stepdown">{{cite news |date=2025-09-30 |title=Spotify's Daniel Ek announces that he'll step aside as CEO |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/09/30/nx-s1-5558012/spotifys-daniel-ek-announces-that-hell-step-aside-as-ceo |work=NPR |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Ek also demonstrated personal financial commitment to the platform. Reports indicated that he invested $50 million of his own funds into the company's music-streaming operations.<ref name="sendstory">{{cite web |title=Daniel Ek pumps $50 million |url=https://sendstory.co/news/daniel-ek-pumps-50-million |publisher=SendStory |date= |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref name="telangana">{{cite news |date= |title=Spotify CEO Daniel Ek pumps $50 mn into his music streaming platform |url=https://telanganatoday.com/spotify-ceo-daniel-ek-pumps-50-mn-into-his-music-streaming-platform |work=Telangana Today |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Music Business Worldwide reported that despite leaving the CEO role, Ek indicated he would still maintain an active presence at the company, suggesting that his transition to executive chairman was not a retreat from day-to-day involvement.<ref name="mbw">{{cite news |date=2025-10-09 |title=3 things you might have missed about Daniel Ek's decision to step back as Spotify CEO |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/3-things-you-may-have-missed-about-daniel-eks-decision-to-step-back-as-spotify-ceo/ |work=Music Business Worldwide |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
=== Transition to Executive Chairman ===


=== Spotify's Financial Performance ===
On 30 September 2025, Spotify announced that Ek would step down as CEO and transition to the role of executive chairman, effective January 2026.<ref name="cnbc-stepdown" /><ref name="spotify-newsroom" /> The company named Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström as co-CEOs to succeed him. Norström had been serving as Spotify's president and chief business officer, while Söderström had been co-president and chief product and technology officer.


Throughout Ek's tenure as CEO, Spotify's financial trajectory reflected both the promise and the challenges of the streaming model. In 2016, ''Fortune'' reported that the company's revenue was growing but that operating losses were also increasing, a pattern common among technology companies investing heavily in growth.<ref name="fortune-2016" /> The high cost of music licensing—Spotify pays royalties to rights holders for every stream—remained a persistent challenge for the company's path to profitability.
In a letter to Spotify employees shared publicly through the company's newsroom, Ek described the transition as an evolution of the company's leadership structure rather than a departure. He indicated that he would remain actively involved in the company's strategic direction from his position as executive chairman and would continue to be present in the office.<ref name="ek-letter">{{cite web |title=Evolving How We Lead |url=https://newsroom.spotify.com/2025-09-30/daniel-ek-letter-evolving-how-we-lead/ |publisher=Spotify Newsroom |date=2025-09-30 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


By the first quarter of 2019, Spotify's earnings report showed the company's continued expansion, with the platform reporting its financial results publicly following its direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 2018.<ref name="spotify-q1-2019">{{cite web |title=Spotify Reports First Quarter 2019 Earnings |url=https://newsroom.spotify.com/2019-04-29/spotify-reports-first-quarter-2019-earnings/ |publisher=Spotify Newsroom |date=2019-04-29 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
The BBC reported the transition as Ek stepping down "after two decades at the helm of the music" streaming service, noting the significance of the change for a company that had been closely identified with its founder.<ref name="bbc-stepdown">{{cite news |date=2025-09-30 |title=Spotify founder Daniel Ek to step down as chief executive |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3rv35xp07lo |work=BBC News |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> NPR described Ek as "the most visible face of the company" as it grew into the world's largest music-streaming service.<ref name="npr-stepdown">{{cite news |date=2025-09-30 |title=Spotify's Daniel Ek announces that he'll step aside as CEO |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/09/30/nx-s1-5558012/spotifys-daniel-ek-announces-that-hell-step-aside-as-ceo |work=NPR |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


=== Interest in Arsenal Football Club ===
Analysis by ''Music Business Worldwide'' noted that while Ek was leaving the CEO role, his continued presence as executive chairman — combined with his significant shareholding and voting control — meant he would retain substantial influence over the company.<ref name="mbw-analysis">{{cite news |date=2025-10-09 |title=3 things you might have missed about Daniel Ek's decision to step back as Spotify CEO |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/3-things-you-may-have-missed-about-daniel-eks-decision-to-step-back-as-spotify-ceo/ |work=Music Business Worldwide |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In 2021, Ek made headlines outside the technology industry when he expressed interest in purchasing Arsenal Football Club, the English Premier League team based in North London. Sky Sports reported that Ek claimed Arsenal's ownership, the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment group, had rejected his offer to buy the club.<ref name="skysports-arsenal">{{cite news |title=Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek claims Arsenal have turned down his offer to buy the Premier League club |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/12307501/spotify-co-founder-daniel-ek-claims-arsenal-have-turned-down-his-offer-to-buy-the-premier-league-club |work=Sky Sports |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The bid attracted significant media attention and highlighted Ek's profile beyond the technology sector, though the purchase did not materialize.
=== Other Business Interests ===
 
Outside of Spotify, Ek has expressed interest in other ventures. In 2021, he publicly stated that he had made an offer to purchase [[Arsenal F.C.]], the English Premier League football club, claiming that the club's ownership, the Kroenke family, had rejected his bid.<ref name="sky-arsenal">{{cite news |date= |title=Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek claims Arsenal have turned down his offer to buy the Premier League club |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/12307501/spotify-co-founder-daniel-ek-claims-arsenal-have-turned-down-his-offer-to-buy-the-premier-league-club |work=Sky Sports |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The bid attracted significant media attention, though the club ultimately remained under existing ownership.


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Daniel Ek has two children.<ref name="britannica" /> He resides in Stockholm, Sweden, where Spotify was founded and maintains its roots, though the company's operations span multiple countries. Ek has generally maintained a relatively low public profile on personal matters compared to some technology industry figures, preferring to focus public appearances and interviews on Spotify's business and the broader music and technology industries.
Ek has two children.<ref name="britannica" /> He has maintained a relatively private personal life compared to many technology executives of similar profile. He resides in Stockholm, the city where he was born and where Spotify was founded, though the company's operations span offices worldwide, including at 4 World Trade Center in New York City.<ref name="nyc-letter">{{cite web |title=Letter to Spotify CEO Daniel Ek Re: U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement Advertisements |url=https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/letter-to-spotify-ceo-daniel-ek-re-u-s-customs-and-immigration-enforcement-advertisements/ |publisher=NYC.gov |date=2025-11-14 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In November 2025, New York City Comptroller addressed a letter to Ek in his capacity as CEO and board chairman of Spotify, concerning advertisements related to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement that appeared on the platform. The letter was addressed to Spotify's offices at 4 World Trade Center in New York City, reflecting the company's significant presence in the United States.<ref name="nyc-letter">{{cite web |title=Letter to Spotify CEO Daniel Ek Re: U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement Advertisements |url=https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/letter-to-spotify-ceo-daniel-ek-re-u-s-customs-and-immigration-enforcement-advertisements/ |publisher=NYC.gov |date=2025-11-14 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Ek has spoken publicly about his interest in both technology and music, and the intersection of the two has been a defining theme of his career. His background in coding and peer-to-peer technology, combined with an interest in the music industry's structural challenges, shaped the foundational vision for Spotify.


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


Daniel Ek has received significant recognition for his role in transforming the music industry through streaming technology. In 2017, ''Billboard'' ranked him as No. 1 on its Power 100 list, an annual ranking of the most influential figures in the music business.<ref name="billboard-power">{{cite news |title=No. 1 Power 100: Daniel Ek, Spotify |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7685308/no-1-power-100-daniel-ek-spotify |work=Billboard |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The ranking placed Ek above executives from major record labels, concert promoters, and other established music industry figures, reflecting the degree to which streaming had come to dominate the economics of recorded music.
Ek's role in transforming the music industry through streaming has earned him recognition from multiple media outlets and industry organizations. ''Billboard'' ranked him as the number-one figure on its Power 100 list, which identifies the most influential people in the music business.<ref name="billboard-power" /> ''The Guardian'' described him as the most powerful person in the music business in a 2017 profile.<ref name="guardian-power">{{cite news |date=2017-02-10 |title=Spotify's Daniel Ek: the most powerful person in the music business |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/feb/10/spotify-daniel-ek-most-powerful-person-music-business |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
 
Also in 2017, ''The Guardian'' described Ek as the most powerful person in the music business, a characterization that underscored how the shift from physical and download sales to streaming had redistributed influence within the industry.<ref name="guardian-2017">{{cite news |date=2017-02-10 |title=Spotify's Daniel Ek: most powerful person in music business |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/feb/10/spotify-daniel-ek-most-powerful-person-music-business |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


That same year, Politico included Ek in its "Politico 28" list, a ranking of the 28 people most shaping, disrupting, and influencing Europe.<ref name="politico-28">{{cite web |title=Politico 28 Class of 2017: Daniel Ek |url=https://www.politico.eu/list/politico-28-class-of-2017-ranking/daniel-ek/ |publisher=Politico Europe |date=2017 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The inclusion recognized Ek's impact not only on the music industry but on European technology entrepreneurship more broadly, at a time when Spotify stood as one of Europe's most prominent technology companies.
''Forbes'' profiled Ek in 2012, describing him in a feature titled "Spotify's Daniel Ek: The Most Important Man in Music."<ref name="forbes-2012">{{cite news |last=Bertoni |first=Steven |date=2012-01-04 |title=Spotify's Daniel Ek: The Most Important Man in Music |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2012/01/04/spotifys-daniel-ek-the-most-important-man-in-music/3/#c16c443218ed |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> ''The Daily Telegraph'' profiled him in 2010, quoting his prediction that Spotify would one day be "worth tens of billions."<ref name="telegraph-2010">{{cite news |date= |title=Daniel Ek profile: Spotify will be worth tens of billions |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/7259509/Daniel-Ek-profile-Spotify-will-be-worth-tens-of-billions.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


''Forbes'' had earlier, in 2012, profiled Ek as "the most important man in music," recognizing his role in building a platform that was beginning to reshape how consumers accessed and paid for recorded music.<ref name="forbes-2012" />
In 2017, ''Politico'' included Ek in its "Politico 28" list, which highlighted the most influential figures shaping European policy and public life, recognizing his impact on the continent's technology and cultural industries.<ref name="politico-28">{{cite web |title=Politico 28 Class of 2017: Daniel Ek |url=https://www.politico.eu/list/politico-28-class-of-2017-ranking/daniel-ek/ |publisher=Politico Europe |date=2017 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Daniel Ek's impact on the music industry is principally measured through the transformation that streaming brought to the business of recorded music. When Spotify launched in the mid-2000s, the industry was grappling with declining revenue from physical sales and widespread piracy facilitated by peer-to-peer file-sharing networks. Ek's conviction that a legal, accessible streaming service could compete with piracy provided a new model for music distribution that has since been adopted across the industry.
Daniel Ek's primary legacy rests on his role in popularizing music streaming as the dominant mode of music consumption globally. When Spotify was founded in 2006, the recorded music industry was in a period of significant decline driven by piracy and the collapse of physical media sales. By offering a legal, accessible, and user-friendly alternative, Spotify — under Ek's leadership — played a central role in the industry's revenue recovery and in establishing streaming as the primary source of recorded music income worldwide.
 
By the time Ek announced his transition from CEO to executive chairman in September 2025, Spotify had grown from a small Swedish startup into the world's largest music streaming service.<ref name="npr-stepdown" /> The company's freemium business model—offering free, ad-supported access alongside a premium subscription tier—became a template that influenced not only competing music services but also the broader approach to subscription-based media distribution.


Ek's career also contributed to the reputation of Sweden and the Nordic region as a hub for technology innovation. His 2016 warning that Sweden needed to adapt its policies to retain fast-growing technology companies highlighted the tensions between European regulatory environments and the demands of globally competitive tech firms.<ref name="qz-sweden" />
The freemium model that Ek championed — offering a free, ad-supported tier alongside premium subscriptions — became a standard approach in the music-streaming industry and influenced business models across digital media more broadly. Spotify's growth to hundreds of millions of users demonstrated the commercial viability of this approach, even as debates continued about the sustainability of streaming economics for artists and songwriters.


The early incorporation and later abandonment of peer-to-peer technology in Spotify's architecture illustrated Ek's pragmatic approach to building the service. Drawing on the same technology that had facilitated piracy, Ek and his team initially used peer-to-peer distribution to improve streaming performance before transitioning to a fully server-based model as the company's resources grew.<ref name="gigaom" /><ref name="torrentfreak" />
Ek's transition from CEO to executive chairman in 2025, after nearly two decades leading the company, marked the end of an era in which Spotify and its founder were closely intertwined in public perception.<ref name="npr-stepdown" /><ref name="bbc-stepdown" /> His decision to remain involved as executive chairman rather than departing entirely reflected the degree to which Spotify's identity and strategic vision continued to be associated with his leadership.


Ek's decision to step back from the CEO role in favor of an executive chairman position, while appointing two internal successors as co-CEOs, represented a leadership model that reflected the company's maturation. In his letter to employees, Ek framed the change as an evolution in how Spotify would be led, rather than a departure, suggesting his intention to remain closely involved in the company's strategic direction.<ref name="spotify-letter" /><ref name="mbw" />
The broader impact of Ek's work extends beyond Spotify itself. The success of music streaming as a business model contributed to the development of streaming platforms across other media, including podcasts, audiobooks, and video. Ek's career trajectory — from teenage coder in Stockholm to the leader of a company that fundamentally altered how people access and listen to music — illustrates the transformative potential of technology applied to creative industries.


== References ==
== References ==
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Latest revision as of 06:30, 24 February 2026



Daniel Ek
BornDaniel Georg Ek
21 2, 1983
BirthplaceStockholm, Sweden
NationalitySwedish
OccupationBusinessman, technologist
TitleExecutive Chairman, Spotify
Known forCo-founding Spotify
Children2

Daniel Georg Ek (born 21 February 1983) is a Swedish businessman and technologist who co-founded Spotify, the internet music-streaming service that grew into the world's largest platform of its kind. From the company's founding in 2006 through nearly two decades of leadership as chief executive officer, Ek guided Spotify from a Stockholm startup into a publicly traded global enterprise with hundreds of millions of users. In September 2025, Ek announced he would transition from the role of CEO to executive chairman effective January 2026, handing day-to-day operational leadership to co-CEOs Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström while retaining significant influence over the company's strategic direction.[1][2] Ek's career has been defined by his early immersion in technology and entrepreneurship in Sweden's digital economy, his conviction that legal streaming could compete with music piracy, and his role in reshaping how recorded music is distributed and consumed worldwide. He has been recognized as one of the most influential figures in the music industry and the broader technology sector.[3]

Early Life

Daniel Georg Ek was born on 21 February 1983 in Stockholm, Sweden.[4] He grew up in the Swedish capital and displayed an early aptitude for computers and technology. Ek began coding and building websites as a teenager, reportedly developing an interest in the internet's commercial potential at a young age.

His early entrepreneurial activities in Sweden's burgeoning tech scene provided him with formative experience in internet-based businesses. Before founding Spotify, Ek was involved with several technology ventures, gaining familiarity with peer-to-peer technology and online advertising. Among the services linked to his early career history was uTorrent, a BitTorrent client — a connection that would later draw attention given Spotify's positioning as a legal alternative to music piracy.[5] This background in peer-to-peer networking technology would prove instrumental in the technical architecture of Spotify's early streaming platform.

Growing up in Sweden — a country that produced both Pirate Bay and a series of successful technology companies — Ek was shaped by a cultural environment in which digital innovation, particularly in music and media, was at the forefront of public discourse. The Swedish music industry, one of the world's largest exporters of music per capita, had been severely affected by piracy in the early 2000s, providing both context and motivation for Ek's eventual focus on creating a legal, accessible streaming model.

Career

Founding of Spotify

In 2006, Ek co-founded Spotify alongside Martin Lorentzon, a Swedish entrepreneur who had previously co-founded the digital marketing company Tradedoubler.[4] The company was conceived as a response to the widespread piracy that had disrupted the music industry, offering a legal alternative that could compete with illegal file-sharing services by providing instant, on-demand access to a vast catalogue of music. The core premise was that if music could be made easily and instantly accessible — and either free with advertising or available through a paid subscription — consumers would choose the legal option over piracy.

Spotify's early technology drew on peer-to-peer architecture to facilitate fast streaming, leveraging some of the same underlying principles that had powered file-sharing networks, but within a licensed framework.[6] The service launched in Sweden and select European markets before gradually expanding. Securing licensing agreements with major record labels was a significant challenge in the company's early years, as the music industry was cautious about any model that offered free, ad-supported listening.

Ek articulated his vision for Spotify as a platform that would serve both listeners and artists. In a 2013 interview with The Guardian, he discussed the company's ambitions and the challenges of building a music-streaming business in an industry still grappling with the transition from physical and download-based sales to streaming.[7]

Growth and Expansion

Under Ek's leadership, Spotify grew rapidly through the 2010s. The company expanded from its initial European markets into the United States and, eventually, into dozens of countries around the world. By June 2017, the platform had reached 140 million active users.[8]

The company's growth was accompanied by ongoing financial challenges. A 2016 analysis of Spotify's financial results showed that while the company's revenue was increasing, its operating losses were also widening.[9] The economics of music streaming — in which a significant share of revenue is paid out in royalties to rights holders — posed persistent profitability challenges. Ek navigated these pressures while continuing to invest in the platform's expansion, product development, and user acquisition.

In 2014, Spotify moved away from its original peer-to-peer streaming architecture in favor of a fully server-based model.[6] This transition reflected the maturation of the platform's infrastructure and the increasing availability of cloud-based delivery systems capable of handling the service's growing user base.

Ek also had to manage Spotify's relationship with Sweden itself. In 2016, reports indicated that Spotify had threatened to leave Sweden due to concerns about the country's housing market and difficulties in attracting and retaining international talent, prompting a public discussion about whether Sweden's policies were adequately supporting its technology companies.[10]

Spotify's Public Listing and Continued Leadership

In October 2016, co-founder Martin Lorentzon stepped down as chairman of Spotify's board, and Ek assumed the role of chairman in addition to his position as CEO.[11] This consolidation of leadership gave Ek direct control over both the company's strategic direction and its day-to-day management.

Spotify went public in April 2018 through an unusual direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange, bypassing the traditional initial public offering process. The direct listing was seen as consistent with Ek's approach to challenging conventional practices in the industries in which Spotify operated.

As a public company, Spotify continued to expand its offerings beyond music. The company made significant investments in podcasting, acquiring studios and exclusive content deals in an effort to diversify its audio platform. By the first quarter of 2019, Spotify reported 217 million monthly active users, including 100 million premium subscribers.[12]

Throughout this period, Ek remained the primary public face of the company, engaging with artists, record labels, policymakers, and investors.[13] He addressed criticism from artists who argued that streaming royalties were insufficient, and he navigated competitive challenges from Apple Music, Amazon Music, and other rivals.

Ek also demonstrated personal financial commitment to the platform. Reports indicated that he invested $50 million of his own funds into the company's music-streaming operations.[14][15]

Transition to Executive Chairman

On 30 September 2025, Spotify announced that Ek would step down as CEO and transition to the role of executive chairman, effective January 2026.[1][2] The company named Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström as co-CEOs to succeed him. Norström had been serving as Spotify's president and chief business officer, while Söderström had been co-president and chief product and technology officer.

In a letter to Spotify employees shared publicly through the company's newsroom, Ek described the transition as an evolution of the company's leadership structure rather than a departure. He indicated that he would remain actively involved in the company's strategic direction from his position as executive chairman and would continue to be present in the office.[16]

The BBC reported the transition as Ek stepping down "after two decades at the helm of the music" streaming service, noting the significance of the change for a company that had been closely identified with its founder.[17] NPR described Ek as "the most visible face of the company" as it grew into the world's largest music-streaming service.[18]

Analysis by Music Business Worldwide noted that while Ek was leaving the CEO role, his continued presence as executive chairman — combined with his significant shareholding and voting control — meant he would retain substantial influence over the company.[19]

Other Business Interests

Outside of Spotify, Ek has expressed interest in other ventures. In 2021, he publicly stated that he had made an offer to purchase Arsenal F.C., the English Premier League football club, claiming that the club's ownership, the Kroenke family, had rejected his bid.[20] The bid attracted significant media attention, though the club ultimately remained under existing ownership.

Personal Life

Ek has two children.[4] He has maintained a relatively private personal life compared to many technology executives of similar profile. He resides in Stockholm, the city where he was born and where Spotify was founded, though the company's operations span offices worldwide, including at 4 World Trade Center in New York City.[21]

Ek has spoken publicly about his interest in both technology and music, and the intersection of the two has been a defining theme of his career. His background in coding and peer-to-peer technology, combined with an interest in the music industry's structural challenges, shaped the foundational vision for Spotify.

Recognition

Ek's role in transforming the music industry through streaming has earned him recognition from multiple media outlets and industry organizations. Billboard ranked him as the number-one figure on its Power 100 list, which identifies the most influential people in the music business.[3] The Guardian described him as the most powerful person in the music business in a 2017 profile.[22]

Forbes profiled Ek in 2012, describing him in a feature titled "Spotify's Daniel Ek: The Most Important Man in Music."[23] The Daily Telegraph profiled him in 2010, quoting his prediction that Spotify would one day be "worth tens of billions."[24]

In 2017, Politico included Ek in its "Politico 28" list, which highlighted the most influential figures shaping European policy and public life, recognizing his impact on the continent's technology and cultural industries.[25]

Legacy

Daniel Ek's primary legacy rests on his role in popularizing music streaming as the dominant mode of music consumption globally. When Spotify was founded in 2006, the recorded music industry was in a period of significant decline driven by piracy and the collapse of physical media sales. By offering a legal, accessible, and user-friendly alternative, Spotify — under Ek's leadership — played a central role in the industry's revenue recovery and in establishing streaming as the primary source of recorded music income worldwide.

The freemium model that Ek championed — offering a free, ad-supported tier alongside premium subscriptions — became a standard approach in the music-streaming industry and influenced business models across digital media more broadly. Spotify's growth to hundreds of millions of users demonstrated the commercial viability of this approach, even as debates continued about the sustainability of streaming economics for artists and songwriters.

Ek's transition from CEO to executive chairman in 2025, after nearly two decades leading the company, marked the end of an era in which Spotify and its founder were closely intertwined in public perception.[18][17] His decision to remain involved as executive chairman rather than departing entirely reflected the degree to which Spotify's identity and strategic vision continued to be associated with his leadership.

The broader impact of Ek's work extends beyond Spotify itself. The success of music streaming as a business model contributed to the development of streaming platforms across other media, including podcasts, audiobooks, and video. Ek's career trajectory — from teenage coder in Stockholm to the leader of a company that fundamentally altered how people access and listen to music — illustrates the transformative potential of technology applied to creative industries.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Spotify founder Daniel Ek stepping down as CEO, company names co-CEOs to replace him".CNBC.2025-09-30.https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/30/spotify-founder-daniel-ek-stepping-down.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Spotify Announces Leadership Evolution: Daniel Ek to Become Executive Chairman, Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström to Become Co-CEOs in January 2026".Spotify Newsroom.2025-09-30.https://newsroom.spotify.com/2025-09-30/spotify-announcement-daniel-ek-executive-chairman/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "No. 1 Power 100: Daniel Ek, Spotify".Billboard.http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7685308/no-1-power-100-daniel-ek-spotify.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Daniel Ek | Biography, Spotify, & Facts".Encyclopedia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/money/Daniel-Ek.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "Spotify Reminded of uTorrent Past After Branding Grooveshark "Pirates"".TorrentFreak.2014-11-12.https://torrentfreak.com/spotify-reminded-of-utorrent-past-after-branding-grooveshark-pirates-141112/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Spotify gives up on P2P technology for music streaming".GigaOm.2014-04-16.https://gigaom.com/2014/04/16/spotify-gives-up-on-p2p-technology-for-music-streaming/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Daniel Ek: Spotify and streaming music".The Guardian.2013-11-10.http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/10/daniel-ek-spotify-streaming-music.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "Spotify reaches 140 million active users".The Verge.2017-06-15.https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/15/15807826/spotify-140-million-active-users.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "Spotify Revenue Up, Operating Loss Widens".Fortune.2016-05-24.http://fortune.com/2016/05/24/spotify-revenue-up-operating-loss-widens/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Sweden must change quickly: Spotify threatens to leave the country".Quartz.2016.https://qz.com/661319/sweden-must-change-quickly-spotify-threatens-to-leave-the-country/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ "Spotify co-founder Martin Lorentzon steps down as chairman, CEO Daniel Ek steps up".TechCrunch.2016-10-14.https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/14/spotify-co-founder-martin-lorentzon-steps-down-as-chairman-ceo-daniel-ek-steps-up/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Spotify Reports First Quarter 2019 Earnings".Spotify Newsroom.2019-04-29.https://newsroom.spotify.com/2019-04-29/spotify-reports-first-quarter-2019-earnings/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "Daniel Ek: Spotify CEO on Streaming, Tidal, Apple, Record Labels, Taylor Swift".Billboard.http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6590101/daniel-ek-spotify-ceo-streaming-feature-tidal-apple-record-labels-taylor-swift.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "Daniel Ek pumps $50 million".SendStory.https://sendstory.co/news/daniel-ek-pumps-50-million.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "Spotify CEO Daniel Ek pumps $50 mn into his music streaming platform".Telangana Today.https://telanganatoday.com/spotify-ceo-daniel-ek-pumps-50-mn-into-his-music-streaming-platform.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Evolving How We Lead".Spotify Newsroom.2025-09-30.https://newsroom.spotify.com/2025-09-30/daniel-ek-letter-evolving-how-we-lead/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Spotify founder Daniel Ek to step down as chief executive".BBC News.2025-09-30.https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3rv35xp07lo.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Spotify's Daniel Ek announces that he'll step aside as CEO".NPR.2025-09-30.https://www.npr.org/2025/09/30/nx-s1-5558012/spotifys-daniel-ek-announces-that-hell-step-aside-as-ceo.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ "3 things you might have missed about Daniel Ek's decision to step back as Spotify CEO".Music Business Worldwide.2025-10-09.https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/3-things-you-may-have-missed-about-daniel-eks-decision-to-step-back-as-spotify-ceo/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ "Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek claims Arsenal have turned down his offer to buy the Premier League club".Sky Sports.https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/12307501/spotify-co-founder-daniel-ek-claims-arsenal-have-turned-down-his-offer-to-buy-the-premier-league-club.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "Letter to Spotify CEO Daniel Ek Re: U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement Advertisements".NYC.gov.2025-11-14.https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/letter-to-spotify-ceo-daniel-ek-re-u-s-customs-and-immigration-enforcement-advertisements/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ "Spotify's Daniel Ek: the most powerful person in the music business".The Guardian.2017-02-10.https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/feb/10/spotify-daniel-ek-most-powerful-person-music-business.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ BertoniStevenSteven"Spotify's Daniel Ek: The Most Important Man in Music".Forbes.2012-01-04.https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2012/01/04/spotifys-daniel-ek-the-most-important-man-in-music/3/#c16c443218ed.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  24. ↑ "Daniel Ek profile: Spotify will be worth tens of billions".The Daily Telegraph.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/7259509/Daniel-Ek-profile-Spotify-will-be-worth-tens-of-billions.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  25. ↑ "Politico 28 Class of 2017: Daniel Ek".Politico Europe.2017.https://www.politico.eu/list/politico-28-class-of-2017-ranking/daniel-ek/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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