Spotify reported second-quarter 2026 results on Tuesday showing stronger-than-expected premium subscriber growth, which helped offset a slight miss on total user numbers and kept revenue in line with guidance. In their first public comments to investors since May's investor day, co-chief executives Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström said new products, including AI playlisting and remixing tools, were showing "strong momentum", and that spending on AI and marketing remained "entirely in our control".

Spotify added seven million net new premium subscribers, a million more than guided, taking the total to 300 million, while ad-supported monthly active users grew to 494 million. Total monthly active users reached 777 million, slightly below the 17 million net additions targeted. Revenue rose 14%, gross margin expanded to 33.4%, and operating income hit 655 million euros, even as operating expenses climbed 3% to 941 million euros on AI and marketing investment; shares dipped 1.5% to $479. Separately, indie label group Merlin joined Universal Music Group in licensing opted-in artists' music for Spotify's forthcoming AI remix tool, with Söderström saying a preview would roll out to some users despite scepticism among parts of the industry over AI-generated music.