Streaming Music Giants See Stagnant Subscriber Growth

Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music are adding subscribers in the US market in Q3 2025, but growth has slowed to a sluggish 1-2% year-to-date, reflecting market saturation, according to preliminary data from DMN Pro’s Streaming Music Subscriber Market Share database.

Spotify leads with a 37% share, roughly 53.8 million US subscribers, boosted by 646,000 Individual and 355,000 Duo plan additions by May 2025, fueled by family plan uptake after a price increase to $11.99/month. Apple Music, holding 32% with about 46.5 million users, grew slightly via multi-user bundles but saw a 0.13% quarterly dip. YouTube Music, at 19% usage share, gains from video-music synergies but struggles with declining music video engagement due to TikTok rivalry. 

These three, plus Amazon Music, dominate 97% of the US market, which hit 100 million paid subscribers in March 2025.The drop to 1-2% growth from 5%+ in prior years signals subscriber fatigue and economic pressures. Spotify offset a 5% Q1 2025 subscriber dip with promotions, while Apple’s $0.01-per-stream payout retains creators. 

Price hikes across platforms heighten churn, with users shifting to cost-effective group plans like Spotify Family or Apple One.

DMN Pro forecasts flat growth into 2026 without innovations like Spotify’s “super-premium” tier or advanced AI personalization. The $30+ billion industry faces royalty disputes and competitive stagnation, with Spotify and Apple controlling two-thirds of subscribers. Growth depends on new features like audiobooks or spatial audio to revive momentum.