Spotify has confirmed it will open its office in Turkey, saying the country is a “priority market”. This follows a period of tension between the streaming giant and the Turkish government.

Opening Details

Spotify plans to open an office in Istanbul by the end of June, emphasizing that "opening an office in Istanbul is not a symbolic move for Spotify, it’s a structural one". The company reiterated its long-term commitment to the Turkish music ecosystem, its creators, and its culture.

Growth of Turkish Music

Spotify highlighted the strong growth of Turkish music, with 52 million users outside Turkey listening to Turkish-language tracks. Export streaming is up over 160 percent since 2020.

Commitment to Artists

Spotify, which launched in Turkey in 2013, has pledged to amplify the voices of female and emerging artists in Turkey.

Previous Tensions

Spotify's commitment to Turkey follows a period of friction with the Turkish government, which had accused the platform of hosting “content that targets our religious and national values and insults the beliefs of our society”. The government had also accused Spotify of not supporting local music and had demanded that the Swedish streaming company open a physical office in the country.

The disagreements appear to have been resolved following a meeting between the Turkish government and Spotify executives.