Of course, Spotify has 100 million paid subscribers, and Apple Music has 60 million. But Amazon will not stay in the dust. According to Financial Times, the number of people subscribed to Amazon Music Unlimited grew approximately 70 percent in the last year.
In April, Amazon had more than 32 million subscribers in all its music services, including Unlimited and Prime Music. Although Spotify leads the pack with the largest number of subscribers, it is growing at a slower pace, around 25 percent a year.
Amazon Music Unlimited could have appeared late, in 2016, two years after the release of Apple Music. But the popularity of Amazon speakers gives it an advantage, as it is now present in a growing number of households.
The company is reportedly working on a higher fidelity version of the Echo, which would compete better with Sonos speakers and could attract more users to its streaming services.
Older followers are important for Amazon Music
Amazon has also found followers among older subscribers. According to Steve Boom, director of Amazon Music, about 14 percent of Amazon Music subscribers are 55 or older.
In comparison, only five percent of Spotify users are in that age range. "We are not fighting for the same clients as everyone else," Boom told the Financial Times. "For the industry to reach its full potential, we can not only look at young people between the ages of 15 and 22."
When it comes to pricing, Amazon offers more flexibility. Like Spotify and Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited costs $ 10 per month. However, the main members can get it for $ 8 a month, and if you only listen to an Echo speaker, it's only $ 4 a month.
Owners of Alexa devices that agree to listen to ads can access the service for free. Prime members also have access to Prime Music at no additional charge, but that service has fewer songs and Echo commands.
So, while Spotify and Apple Music have received the most attention in their careers from subscribers, Amazon Music could be a third serious competitor.