Daniel Ek to step down as Spotify CEO

Daniel Ek is stepping down as CEO of Spotify. The streaming giant confirmed the news in a press release released today, revealing that Ek will move into a newly created executive chairman position from the beginning of 2026.

In his place, longtime execs Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström will become co-CEOs, reporting to Ek and joining the board of directors. In an Instagram video, Ek insisted “the company is in a great place” and said the move follows years of strong work by the pair.

Reports suggest, however, that Ek’s attention is shifting beyond Spotify. According to Forbes, he’s increasingly focused on his $1bn investment fund Prima Materia and on defence tech firm Helsing, where he serves as chairman.

Ek’s tenure has rarely been free from controversy. Since taking the CEO role in 2016, he’s drawn criticism over playlist practices, political donations, his stake in AI weapons tech, and for suggesting “the cost of creating content is close to zero” - a line that cemented his strained relationship with artists.

This isn’t a clean break, but it's one that's arguably needed with the slew of artists - including King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Missive Attack - removing their music from the platform. So, from January, Spotify will be under new leadership on paper, and alongside new initiatives that include the introduction of lossless streaming, a messenger feature, and integration with Rekordbox, this could be the mark of a new chapter for the streaming giant. 

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