Spotify, the popular music streaming platform with 670 million active users worldwide, has admitted that it is considering suspending its operations in Turkey or even abandoning the Eurasian country altogether following an investigation by Turkish authorities into whether the Swedish-based company is violating competition laws, among other allegations.
In statements reported by The Times, Spotify representatives confirmed that the company is currently in contact with the Turkish authorities and is seeking a solution to the company’s problems in the country, but admitted that a potential suspension of its activity or even a complete withdrawal from the Turkish market are options that are “on the table“.
The investigation was prompted by comments made by Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Batuhan Mumcu, who claimed that some Spotify playlists contained content contrary to Turkey’s religious and cultural values, calling on relevant institutions to intervene immediately and launch an investigation. Mumcu said on social media that Spotify’s content had long been closely monitored by the authorities and that the platform had received several warnings, daily Hürriyet reported.
Following that request, the Competition Authority in Turkey launched a formal investigation to determine whether Spotify had hindered the operations of competing companies or used discriminatory practices against certain artists and content creators. The investigation, which is still ongoing, is also looking into whether the popular music streaming platform has unfairly favoured some artists by giving them more visibility, and whether royalty distribution methods violate Turkish competition laws.
Spotify defends itself
The investigation opened by Ankara will therefore determine whether Spotify hinders the activity of its competitors, whether music content rights holders are restricted in their access to the platform, and whether certain artists are discriminated against in terms of visibility on the platform. If the outcome of these investigations is adverse to the company or results in the imposition of legal or financial sanctions, Spotify’s future in Turkey is very uncertain, according to the Turkish press.
“Our commitment to Turkey is very clear,” Spotify responded in a statement. “In 2024 alone, we paid more than 2 billion liras (near 43 million euros) to the Turkish music industry, included Turkish artists – who represent 90% of the Turkish Top 50 – in our playlists, and played a key role in increasing global royalties for Turkish artists. These global royalties now account for more than half of the total revenue Turkish artists earn on our platform,” the company said.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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