A seismic shift is coming to the world’s biggest streaming service. Daniel Ek, founder of Spotify and one of the most powerful figures in modern music, will step down as CEO on January 1, 2026.
Ek isn’t leaving the company he built. Instead, he’ll move into the role of Executive Chairman, focusing on long-term strategy while handing day-to-day leadership to Spotify’s two current vice presidents, Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström, who will share the CEO position.
Spotify framed the move as an “evolution” of how the company has already been run for years. Ek himself insisted this isn’t about scandal or controversy, but rather about formalizing a structure where leadership is more distributed.
Still, the timing is impossible to ignore.
Controversy Shadows the Exit
Spotify has been navigating a storm of criticism. Daniel Ek’s personal investment fund, Prima Materia, poured money into weapons technology — drones and defense startups — sparking backlash from artists and fans alike.
Acts like Massive Attack, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Deerhoof, and Xiu Xiu spoke out, some calling to pull their music from the platform. In Italy, rocker Piero Pelù railed against Ek’s involvement, saying he’d remove his catalog “immediately” if only he still owned the masters.
As Massive Attack put it: “The economic burden long carried by artists is now aggravated by a moral one, as fans’ money ends up financing lethal technologies. Enough is enough.”
Yet the protest hasn’t fully taken hold. For most musicians — especially those without Taylor Swift–level leverage — leaving Spotify equals leaving the market. With physical sales nearly extinct, streaming dominance keeps artists locked in.
Boycotts, Politics, and the Weight of Streaming
This isn’t the first time Spotify has been at the center of a cultural fight. Back in 2022, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell pulled their music in protest of Spotify’s lucrative deal with right-wing podcaster Joe Rogan, only to quietly return later.
Taylor Swift famously boycotted Spotify in 2014, blasting its unfair payouts. Today, she’s one of the platform’s biggest global stars.
But in 2025, the protests look different. More than 400 artists, including Björk, have joined the “No Music for Genocide” campaign, pulling music from streaming platforms (not just Spotify) in Israel. The boycott is modeled after anti-apartheid cultural actions in South Africa and represents a targeted, geo-blocked protest.
The AI Question
Adding to the turbulence, Spotify recently removed 75 million AI-generated songs from its platform. The company has been accused both of encouraging fake “ghost” artists to maximize profits, and of dragging its feet as AI flooded playlists.
In its latest statement, Spotify struck a new tone: promising to “protect against the worst aspects of AI” while still giving artists and producers tools to harness it. New transparency rules will mark when and how AI has been used in a track.
It’s a messy balancing act — and one that will define the next era of streaming.
What Daniel Ek’s Move Means
Ek stepping down as CEO doesn’t mean he’s disappearing. The Executive Chairman role in Europe carries significant influence — arguably more power than the American equivalent. He will still shape Spotify’s vision while letting Norström and Söderström handle the grind of running a 6000+ employee company.
But symbolically, the shift feels bigger. After nearly two decades, Spotify’s founder is no longer the frontman. The change comes as the platform faces artist discontent, political boycotts, and an existential debate over AI in music.
For fans and musicians, the question isn’t just who runs Spotify — it’s what Spotify will become in this next chapter.
Daniel Ek once made streaming the future of music. Now, as he steps aside from the CEO spotlight, Spotify itself faces the same test as the artists it disrupted: evolve, or risk irrelevance.
Whether the next decade of Spotify is defined by artist empowerment, AI innovation, or corporate missteps, one thing is clear — the music industry’s most disruptive player is heading into uncharted territory.
âť“ FAQ Section
Q1: Who will replace Daniel Ek as Spotify CEO in 2026?
Spotify VPs Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström will share the CEO role starting January 1, 2026.
Q2: Why is Daniel Ek stepping down as Spotify CEO?
Ek says the move is a natural evolution of leadership, though it comes as Spotify faces protests over military investments, boycotts, and AI debates.
Q3: What role will Daniel Ek have after leaving the CEO position?
He will become Spotify’s Executive Chairman, focusing on long-term strategy while remaining actively involved in the company.