Some Spotify Premium users are hearing ads (and seeing red)
Summary
- Despite paying for ad-free listening, some Spotify Premium subscribers are encountering ads during their music sessions across various devices and platforms (Android, iOS, Web, and even smart home devices).
- The streaming giant has confirmed that it is are aware of the issue and is working on a fix.
- Spotify is asking affected Premium subscribers to provide specific details about their experience on the Spotify Community forum (device info, app version, ad type, troubleshooting steps) to aid in the investigation.
Spotify literally revolutionized the music streaming market with its freemium model — something that has now become a ubiquitous approach emulated by other streaming services. The service allows users to access its large streaming library for absolutely free, albeit with ads — essentially serving its purpose as an enticing gateway for Spotify’s paid/Premium subscription.
The model works, and the music streaming giant’s 30+ percent market share is a testament to that.
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Users that want uninterrupted listening with Spotify’s full suite of features opt for one of its several Premium plans, all of which offer an ad-free experience. These start at $5.99 and $11.99 per month for the student and individual plan, respectively, and go all the way up to $19.99 per month for the Family plan, making Spotify more expensive than alternatives like YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.
The price premium leads users to believe that they’ll be getting a seamless experience, but recent reports suggest the opposite — one that’s laden with ads.
First highlighted by TechIssuesToday, Premium users have taken to Spotify’s community forum with complaints about encountering ads during their music streaming sessions, and Spotify has acknowledged the issue. “Our tech teams are currently investigating reports of Premium users hearing ads,” wrote Spotify.
Android, iOS, and web users all seem to be affected across all Premium plans, and even though this isn’t a widespread issue, it isn’t an isolated one either. Additionally, users have also reported encountering ads on smart home devices linked to their Spotify Premium account.
“Same issue here – just started an hour or two ago. Have tried logging in and logging out, attempted on multiple devices, double checked that payment went through,” wrote a disgruntled user, while a different one wrote “I am experiencing ads while using my Spotify Premium Individual subscription, even though my plan includes ad-free music listening.”
Here’s what you can do
As annoying as this might be, the streaming giant has emphasized that it will be able to expedite a fix with your cooperation. If you’re an affected user, Spotify wants you to send it the following details directly on the community forum:
- The make, model and OS version of your device(s).
- App version or whether you’re using Spotify on the web.
- The type of ad(s) you received.
- Any troubleshooting you’ve tried (log out/log in, clear cache, clean reinstall, another device, etc.)
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