Apple has edged out Spotify in U.S. subscriber counts, according to a new report by Digital Music News. Citing confidential details from a major distributor, the report notes that both services now have 20 million U.S.
subscribers, with Apple “now a hair ahead,” however the lead is expected to continue widening, with data that shows Apple experiencing a much stronger growth rate. The detailed report shared with Digital Music News provided subscriber counts from several major streaming services, including not only Apple Music and Spotify, but also Tidal and Sirius XM; while Apple Music is now first-place in the U.S. among on-demand services, Sirius XM has a count of 33 million North American subscribers, suggesting that it’s likely still ahead of Apple Music.
These latest numbers line up with a report from the Wall Street Journal [earlier this year] that predicted Apple was “on the verge” of overtaking Spotify, with a five percent U.S. subscriber growth rate compared to Spotify’s two percent. The comparisons, however, do not factor in Apple Music trial users nor users on Spotify’s free tier.
