Amazon Music Crosses 55 Million Subscribers Globally

Amazon said on Wednesday that its streaming music service has won more than 55 million subscribers, shutting down Apple Music. However, Amazon Music still has a long way to go to catch Spotify, which has 248 million users, including 113 million paid subscribers. Amazon said its music service had a year of "incredible growth worldwide" which included a jump of more than 50 per cent in the number of Prime service customers who pay for unlimited music options.

Amazon Music Vice President Steve Boom said, "We are proud to reach this incredible achievement.

"We have always focused on expanding the market for music streaming by offering a unique choice of a music listener because we know the needs of different listeners."

The Amazon Prime Membership, costing $ 119 annually in the US, has access to a library of two million songs and free, fast delivery of online purchases. Amazon Prime Price in India Rs. 129 per month and Rs. 999 per year.

Amazon offers multiple streaming music subscription options for those who are not key members in select markets.

According to the Seattle-based company, Amazon Music has grown nearly 50 per cent over the past year in the UK, Germany, Japan and the US, and is winning audiences in new markets such as France, Italy, Mexico and Spain.

According to various estimates, Apple's streaming music service had over 60 million subscribers worldwide by the middle of last year.

California-based Apple has prioritized the sale of digital content and services to users of its popular devices as it reduces its dependence on iPhone sales for revenue.

Meanwhile, Amazon has steadily expanded its offerings from books to e-commerce, cloud services, streaming video and music, and more.