Spotify monthly listeners: how they work, how to grow them, and why not to buy them

How monthly listeners are counted

• One stream of 30 seconds or more in the past 28 days makes someone a monthly listener.
• The window rolls forward every day. Each day, the oldest day drops out. So the number climbs during a release or a playlist add, and starts falling about four weeks after the plays slow down.
• It counts everyone, both people who chose your music and people who only heard it on a playlist or the radio.
• It's public. Anyone can see it on your Spotify profile.

What's inside the number

Spotify for Artists splits your listeners into groups, and this is where the number gets honest:

• Programmed listeners

  Only heard you from editorial playlists, algorithmic playlists and radio

• Light listeners

  Played you on purpose 1 or 2 times in the last 28 days

• Moderate listeners

  Played you on purpose 3 to 14 times

• Super listeners

  Played you on purpose 15 or more times

"On purpose" means from your profile, their own playlists or their library. Spotify calls these your monthly active listeners.

This matters because the groups behave differently. In Spotify's own Fan Study, about two-thirds of super listeners were still listening six months later, against about one-third of light listeners. And after a listener adds an artist to one of their own playlists, they stream that artist 41% more on average.

So a big number made mostly of programmed listeners is rented: when the playlist drops you, they're gone. Active listeners stay.

How to see and track your monthly listeners

• In Spotify for Artists, the Audience section shows your monthly listeners over time and the groups above.
• For other artists, the number is on their profile. Paid analytics services such as Chartmetric and Soundcharts record it daily, so you can see its history.
• Watch the groups, not just the total. Growing monthly active listeners is worth more than a jump that's mostly playlist plays.

How to grow monthly listeners that stay

1. Release regularly, and pitch each release in Spotify for Artists at least 7 days ahead, so your followers get it in Release Radar.
2. Turn programmed listeners into active ones. Ask for the follow and the save in your posts, videos and bio. A listener who adds you to their own playlist plays you more.
3. Add a Canvas. In Spotify's Fan Study, listeners save or playlist tracks with a Canvas over 4 times more on average (our Canvas guide has the sizes).
4. Bring listeners who chose to come. An ad that plays the strongest part of your song sends people to Spotify who tapped because they liked it. They're the ones who save, follow and come back, and they stay in your count after the ad stops.
5. Pitch to editorial playlists too, but treat them as a bonus: those listeners count as programmed until they come back on their own.

Should you buy monthly listeners?

No. It's the one shortcut that costs you more than it gives:

• It breaks Spotify's rules. Spotify says paid services that guarantee streams "aren't legitimate".
• It can cost you money. When Spotify confirms artificial streams, it can withhold the royalties, correct your public numbers, remove the song from its playlists, and charge your distributor a fee per track in flagrant cases. Distributors can then take music down or close accounts.
• Bought listeners never save, follow or come back, so they add nothing to your next release.
• They spoil your own data. Your audience fills with cities and ages that aren't your fans, which makes your ads and tour plans harder to aim.

The same money spent on a small ad test brings real listeners, and shows you which part of your song makes people tap.

Find the part of your song that brings listeners.

Clips makes the ad for every part, from one song.

See Clips →

Bought listeners leave next month. These stay.

Questions