No actual freedom - Anonymous employee Spotify Employee Review

1.0
Feb 26, 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Spotify still carries a strong brand name in the industry, which can be beneficial for your resume. There are talented individuals working here, and if you’re lucky enough to be on a good team, you might have a decent experience. The perks are reasonable, though they are no longer as competitive as they once were. Some teams have a good work-life balance, but this varies greatly depending on leadership.

Cons

The company is plagued by toxic leadership that is more focused on public feuds with Apple and other companies than on actually improving its own internal culture and product strategy. Instead of embracing new opportunities like integrating with HomePod, Spotify remains stubbornly resistant to change, prioritizing grievances over growth. Internal politics dominate decision-making, with upper management ignoring valuable input from employees who truly understand the product and its users. Bureaucracy is a major issue, making it difficult to push forward new ideas. Career growth is slow, and promotions are rare unless you are part of the leadership’s inner circle. Salaries are not competitive, especially when compared to major tech companies like Apple, Google, or even smaller startups that offer better compensation and opportunities. Employee morale has been steadily declining, with high turnover and increasing dissatisfaction. Many teams are overworked and underappreciated, while leadership remains disconnected from the challenges employees face. Instead of investing in talent and fostering real innovation, the company is stuck in a cycle of external complaints and internal stagnation. If you’re looking for a place to grow and be valued, this is not the company for you.

Explore other reviews about Spotify

5.0
Jun 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great team morale and work styles

Cons

Sadly impacted by company layoffs

5.0
May 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

It has started moving much faster than in prior years and there's a lot of emphasis on moving fast through AI. The culture is still pretty fun and it feels like you're working for a fun product

Cons

Spotify, as an app, is trying to find out what the next ten years look like for them. Right now leadership is experimenting with different directions and features so expect ambiguity and changing of scope and orgs

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