Spotify outage leaves millions without music access worldwide

Spotify users across the globe were left frustrated as the popular music streaming app experienced a major outage on Wednesday, affecting core features such as search and artist pages.

According to Downdetector, more than 20,000 users began reporting problems with Spotify starting around 13:30 GMT. The outage was felt most prominently in the United States and several European countries, though users in other regions also experienced issues.

While listeners could still access music they had previously downloaded, core features of the app, including the ability to search for new songs or view artist profiles were not functioning.

Users attempting to search encountered error messages like “something went wrong” and were prompted to refresh the page, to no avail.

Spotify acknowledged the disruption via social media, saying, “We’re aware of some issues right now and are checking them out.”

The platform, which boasts over 675 million users worldwide, has yet to confirm the exact cause of the disruption or provide a timeline for when full service will be restored.

Earlier, Spotify proudly unveiled its highly anticipated ICON Pakistan program at an immersive event titled ‘House of ICON’ at the historic TDF Ghar in Karachi, celebrating Pakistan’s rich musical heritage.

The event offered an exclusive experience that took attendees on a journey through decades of iconic music, spotlighting the artists and tracks that have shaped Pakistan’s vibrant music landscape since the 1950s.

The evening culminated with the unveiling of the first Spotify ICON Pakistan artist: the Shehenshah-e-Qawwali, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

The event was attended by notable celebrities, media personalities, artists, and social media influencers, all gathered to celebrate the unveiling of the first Spotify ICON Pakistan and to witness the magic of Pakistan’s rich music history come to life.

Some of the most noteworthy attendees included artists like Asim Azhar, Young Stunners, Junaid Khan, the former Vital Signs bassist Shahzad ‘Shahi’ Hassan, composer Arshad Mehmood, Bilal Saeed and Spotify’s RADAR artist Umair to name a few.