2008Reputable sourceWell documented
Spotify and the Streaming Shift
On the timeline · around 2008 · The Digital Age
What happened
The Swedish service Spotify launched in 2008, offering access to a vast catalog of music streamed on demand — free with ads, or ad-free by subscription — rather than sold as files to own. Along with rivals like Apple Music, it shifted the industry from ownership to access.
Why it matters
Streaming became the defining way the world listens to music, replacing both physical sales and downloads and remaking how artists are paid, discovered, and measured.