Telia and Spotify renew partnership

09 November 2011

Partnership drives music subscribers to record new levels in Sweden

Telia and the digital music service Spotify today announce a further two-year exclusive partnership in Sweden, after two successful years together.
Spotify subscriptions sold through Telia over the last year increased by 300 percent
Today one in five Telia smartphone users have a Spotify subscription.
Today Telia and digital music service Spotify announce a new two-year exclusive partnership. This exclusive deal – which follows an initial two-year partnership - will see Telia to continue to offer customers Spotify Premium together with Telia's mobile, TV and broadband services.
The partnership between Spotify and Telia has become an example of best practice internationally, in terms of music services working with telecoms companies to create innovative strategic partnerships. Deals such as this are set to contribute towards a major shift in the forms of music distribution in the coming years.
"Telia has, in recent years, become one of the largest music stores for digitally distributed music, and has offered the market a very attractive music proposition that Swedes are willing to pay for," says Kent Jonsson, Consumer Marketing Manager of broadband services at TeliaSonera.
The partnership between Spotify and Telia has driven large numbers of subscribers to Spotify, which in turn means added benefits to the music industry. Over the past year, the rise of Spotify subscriptions sold through Telia increased by 300 percent, and one in five Telia customers with a smartphone also has a subscription with the digital music service.
"We are very pleased to be taking our partnership with Telia to the next level. Today, 25 percent of Spotify's Premium users in Sweden are acquired through Telia and we expect that this figure will continue to rise substantially.”, says Andreas Liffgarden, Global Head of Telecom Business Development at Spotify.

Voices from the Swedish music industry:



There was an immediate improvement for the music industry when Telia and Spotify began to work together to combine music distribution and content services in a cohesive consumer package. With the renewed agreement, we will see many more music subscribers and record levels for the digital music industry in Sweden.
- Per Sundin, CEO of Universal Music Sweden

"The cooperation between Telia and Spotify in Sweden means a new business model for music distribution that will set the bar for the international market. Spotify service's simplicity has contributed greatly to increased revenues for the Swedish music industry after many years of decline, and we now see a bright future for music in Sweden.”
- Mark Dennis, CEO of Sony Music Sweden SONY

"Enabling music fans to listen to their favourite artists on their many devices – on their computer, their mobile or their TV, whenever and wherever they want – is expanding the enjoyment and consumption of music and Telia’s venture with Spotify further reinforces this trend. Together Spotify and Telia are helping drive legal access to our artists’ music in Sweden and are building a powerful marketing platform for the music business. We’re very pleased that this partnership is continuing and look forward to it growing and developing further in the future.”
- Stefan Blom, Chairman & President - EMI Music Nordic

"Strategic partnerships between telecom companies and streaming music services creates tremendous opportunities for all involved. Offering unlimited access to music, allowing operators to attract and retain customers, music services reach a wide customer base through its existing customer relationships and music lovers can access both new and established artists through a premier music experience. All these elements have contributed to Telia and Spotify is a successful partnership. "
- Bjorn Lindborg, General Manager, Warner Music Sweden