Spotify Launches Lossless Audio Streaming for Premium Users
Key Points
- Spotify adds lossless streaming after eight years of speculation.
- Lossless is available to all Premium subscribers, not a separate tier.
- Initial rollout covers 50 markets, including the US, UK, Australia and Germany.
- Users receive in‑app notifications and can enable lossless in settings.
- Supported devices at launch: Sony, Bose, Samsung, Sennheiser; Sonos and Amazon coming soon.
- Audio tops out at 24‑bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC, lower than Apple Music, Tidal and Qobuz's 24‑bit / 192 kHz
- YouTube remains the only major streaming service without lossless audio.
After years of speculation dating back to 2017, Spotify is finally introducing lossless audio streaming. The new tier‑less offering will reach Premium subscribers across 50 markets, starting with regions such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Japan. Users will receive in‑app notifications, enable lossless in the media quality settings, and see an indicator when listening. Initial device support includes Sony, Bose, Samsung and Sennheiser hardware, with Sonos and Amazon devices slated to follow. The service tops out at 24‑bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC, which is lower than the 24‑bit / 192 kHz offered by competitors like Apple Music, Tidal and Qobuz. YouTube remains the only major streaming platform without a lossless option.
Background and Anticipation
Rumors of a high‑fidelity offering from Spotify have circulated since as early as 2017. In 2021 the company claimed a lossless tier was "coming later this year," and by May 2024 it described the feature as "almost ready." Further speculation intensified in June of this year, though many observers remained skeptical amid a slew of unrelated feature announcements.
Now, after eight years of teasing, Spotify confirms that lossless streaming is indeed arriving, marking a significant milestone for the service and its users.
Rollout Strategy
Spotify has chosen a tier‑less approach, integrating lossless audio directly into its existing Premium subscription rather than creating a separate HiFi tier. The rollout will occur across 50 markets, beginning with Australia, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Subscribers in these regions will receive a notification within the app as the capability becomes available, after which they can enable lossless audio from the media quality menu.
Once activated, an indicator will appear in the Now Playing bar and the Connect Picker for compatible hardware, ensuring listeners can verify they are enjoying the higher‑quality stream.
Device Compatibility
Initial support includes devices from Sony, Bose, Samsung and Sennheiser, with additional integration for Sonos and Amazon devices expected to arrive the following month. This broad hardware compatibility aims to make the lossless experience accessible to a wide audience of premium subscribers.
Audio Quality Comparison
Spotify's lossless offering tops out at 24‑bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC. While this represents a clear improvement over the platform's standard compressed streams, it remains below the high‑resolution capabilities offered by rivals such as Apple Music, Tidal and Qobuz, which support up to 24‑bit / 192 kHz FLAC. Industry experts note that the audible difference between 44.1 kHz and higher sample rates can be subtle, especially for listeners without high‑end audio equipment.
Industry Impact
The introduction of lossless audio places Spotify alongside other major streaming services that already provide high‑resolution options. YouTube remains the sole prominent platform without a lossless tier, highlighting Spotify's competitive positioning. By delivering lossless streaming without an extra price tier, Spotify may attract audiophiles who previously opted for rival services while maintaining its value proposition for existing Premium users.