Spotify

Spotify is the perfect example of what happens when a tech company chases endless growth at the expense of its core product. I’ve been a user for at least a decade, and in all that time, I can’t think of a single meaningful feature they’ve added that improves my experience. Instead, it’s been a constant barrage of bizarre changes features that make me wonder if I’m just an outlier or if everyone else is using the platform differently.

Take video podcasts. Who is watching videos on Spotify? Why is a music app even trying to compete in that space? Then there’s the desktop app, which feels like it needs to be restarted every other day just to function properly. The whole thing is frustrating because, at its core, Spotify is still the best streaming service for music discovery and convenience, but they seem determined to bloat it beyond recognition.

The financials paint an interesting picture. Spotify reported 601 million monthly active users in late 2023, with 226 million of them being paid subscribers. Despite this, the company has struggled with profitability, frequently reporting losses even as it expands into new markets and services. In an attempt to improve margins, they’ve raised subscription prices, cut costs, and laid off thousands of employees including many in their podcast division, the same area they were aggressively expanding just a couple of years ago.