Leadership reshuffle marks a new era for Spotify
Daniel Ek, the co-founder and longtime CEO of Spotify, announced he will step down from his position in January 2026. Ek will remain with the company as Executive Chairman, while Chief Product and Technology Officer Gustav Söderström and Chief Business Officer Alex Norström will assume co-CEO roles. Both executives have served as co-presidents since 2023 and have gradually taken over much of the company’s strategic operations.
“This change simply matches titles to how we already operate,” Ek stated, emphasizing that his focus going forward will be on long-term strategy and maintaining a strong connection between the board and executive leadership. The move reflects a broader European approach to the executive chairman role, involving hands-on strategic oversight.
Mounting criticism over defense tech ties
Ek’s transition comes at a time when Spotify faces renewed scrutiny from artists over its royalty policies and Ek’s financial ties to the defense tech industry. His venture capital firm, Prima Materia, recently invested over $700 million in Helsing, a German startup specializing in AI-powered military technology. This move has drawn backlash from artists and fans who object to their creative work indirectly funding weapons systems.
Bands such as Deerhoof, Hotline TNT, and Xiu Xiu have already removed their music from the platform. Massive Attack and Grammy-nominated duo Sylvan Esso followed suit, citing ethical concerns. Massive Attack described the situation as a “moral and ethical burden” on musicians, urging others to seek alternative platforms. Spotify has so far declined to comment on the artist withdrawals.
Ongoing artist tensions and platform challenges
This is not the first time Spotify has faced artist protests. In previous years, musicians like Thom Yorke and Taylor Swift temporarily left the platform due to dissatisfaction with royalty payouts. In 2022, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell boycotted Spotify over its exclusive deal with podcaster Joe Rogan, accusing the platform of promoting misinformation. Both eventually returned when Rogan’s show became available elsewhere.
Helsing, in response to the growing backlash, issued a statement clarifying that its technology is only deployed for defense and deterrence purposes within Europe, particularly in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine. Still, concerns about Spotify’s association with defense technology persist, especially as more artists publicly question the ethics of their continued presence on the platform.
Spotify’s future and Ek’s next chapter
Despite the controversy, Spotify remains the world’s leading music streaming service, boasting over 700 million users. The company reported its first full year of profitability in 2025, and Ek hinted at further ambitions to support the development of other European “supercompanies” tackling major global challenges.
In his letter to employees, Ek expressed excitement about his new role and broader mission. “I am often asked, ‘How do we build more Spotifys out of Europe?’ I’ll share more about how I’ll put some of my builder energy there,” he wrote.
As Spotify enters a new phase under joint leadership, the platform will need to address both its internal strategic goals and growing external pressures. Whether the new leadership structure can ease tensions with the creative community and restore public trust remains to be seen.
