Spotify just announced another price hike. Here's what's really driving it

The early 2026 pricing changes are the third time Spotify has raised prices for U.S. listeners since launching in the country in 2011. Two of those price hikes were back-to-back $1 increases, one in 2023 and one in 2024. In 2024, Spotify explained that the service would "occasionally†update its pricing in order to "continue to invest in and innovate on our product features and bring users the best experience†—language echoed in its short statement on the latest price increase. Why is Spotify raising price ...