Spotify’s web traffic hit a record high last month. The music streaming giant counted 731 million visitors in December 2024, a 20% jump in six months. 

Figures compiled by data company AltIndex show a 6% lift on Spotify’s previous all-time monthly traffic high in December 2023. Numbers also reveal the platform has grew consistently month-on-month over the past half year, with November showing the only slight dip in visitors, down by 1%. 

The report mirrors recent headlines relating to Spotify’s financial position. In November, DJ Mag reported on the firm’s revenue reaching €4 billion as it surpassed 250 million paid subscribers. And January 2025 has seen shares trading at $459.5, a 126% gain on the previous year and 440% on 2022. 

But Spotify’s increasing success continues to be mired in controversy. Debate wages on about the amount being paid to artists, and decisions including demonetising all tracks with less than 1000 plays have been met with widespread criticism as a result. 

Last year, CEO Daniel Elk poured petrol on the fire by claiming the “cost of creating content” for the platform is “close to zero“, angering critics of a revenue system many argue only works for a fraction of household name artists and Spotify itself. Since launching the company, Elk has cashed out more than half-a-billion dollars in stock.

Then in December, Harper’s Magazine published an article by journalist Liz Pelly alleging the platform is filling some of its biggest playlists with so-called “ghost artists” tasked to create large volumes of music solely for distribution through the service. Royalties are paid at a reduced rate, in turn boosting profit margins. The feature has now been followed by the publication author’s book, Mood Machine: The Rise Of Spotify And The Costs Of The Perfect Playlist.