Shakespeare had rightly said, “If music be the food of love, play on.” From improving mood and love relationships to decreasing pain and anxiety to encouraging better emotional expression, music can and does benefit our physical and mental well-being in several ways. It is also used by many hospice and certified music therapists in conventional treatment of a range of illnesses, including acute anxiety, depression and some neurologic disorders.
Since ages, music has been an integral part of our lives, culture and celebrations. With technology transforming most aspects of our lives, our way of listening to music has also evolved. As streaming technology has developed by leaps and bounds over the last decade, the emergence of one brand is astounding.
One of the biggest music streaming apps in the world, Spotify began its journey in 2006 as an online music streaming platform where users can browse through millions of songs, listen to latest music, create personalized playlists, or build a music collection. Today, it stands as the leading global streaming providers of music, competing with big brands like Apple Music and Pandora.
The simple yet enigmatic Spotify logo is a symbol of musical and artistic freedom. With the immense popularity and power of the iconic green emblem, it would take a rigorous strategy to beat them off the competition. Today, we’ll take a detailed look at the history of the Spotify logo, its significance and evolution.
Dawn and Rise of the Striking Spotify Logo
Launched on the 23rd of April 2006 in Stockholm, Sweden, by Martin Lorentzon and Daniel Ek, Spotify quickly became the top choice for online music lovers across the world. It is the first on-demand, music streaming service provider to introduce auto play, a feature that’s used in all streaming services today.
With over 365 million monthly active audiences, including 165 million paid subscribers, Spotify is certainly doing what it can to stay ahead of its competitors. The founders of the brand wanted to provide the subscribers with an easy-to-locate, sort, and organize music that they always wanted to listen to.
Earning its first million subscribers by 2011, their fame has only skyrocketed since then. After two years of innovation and development, the first Spotify logo was introduced in 2008. Although its design was quite different from the one we know today, the dominant color (green) already existed. Here’s how the Spotify logo has evolved through the years.
2008 — 2013
Introduced in 2008, the first Spotify logo featured a lemon green square backdrop with a quirky wordmark along its bottom end. The letters had a clear white outline, written in serif typeface. The uneven letters resemble a dancing pattern, as if having fun with the favorite music of the users. The three curved lines of different lengths and widths above the letter “O” represented the sound vibrations or a Wi-Fi icon.
2013 – 2015
The first logo stuck with the company for five years before it underwent a complete change in 2013. The designer removed both the square frame and the wordmark, replacing them with a lemon green sphere with three arched lines and a thin black outline. This gave the emblem an embossed look on a green background.
The lines were white instead of green, with the brand name on the right side of the emblem. The new design features, particularly the thick arches and the even typeface, give the logo a clean and concise look. The new lettering featured seamless, modern sans-serif typography with straight cuts and thick rounded lines.
2015 – Present
The Spotify logo was once again designed in 2015 and although it was an insignificant change, it was quite effective. This time, both the circular logo and the wordmark were given a bright green makeover by the designers. Nevertheless, the lines depicting waves remained white, and the dominant green color appeared more neon-like.
The letters in the wordmark were bigger, friendlier, and more inviting than the previous version, although it was written in the same font. The eclectic green color gives the logo a more vivid and vibrant look, while it also stands for advancement and success.
Spotify Logo Icon
The Spotify Icon features three white arched lines, placed against a solid green background. To depict the use of new technologies like audio streaming and similar ways to transmit bits over the airwaves, the company adapted the image of concentric lines that were typically used to represent radio waves, Wi-Fi signals or audio volume. Spotify adopted a neat and trendy wordmark in 2015, minus serifs and separated the three arches to serve as a distinct symbol. This was the origin of the Spotify icon.
Spotify Logo Font
The current Spotify logo uses a tailored version of Gotham, a Sans-serif font that’s popular with Game interfaces, PowerPoint presentations, etc. Its two most notable elements are the joining of the letters “f” and “y”, and the circular dot above the letter “i” instead of the typical square.
How the Spotify Logo Reinforces the Brand as an Industry Leader?
From Adidas to Apple, all the big brand logos are simple and easy to remember. At the same time, they’re also fun, captivating and relatable. No matter how and where they are placed, you’re sure to notice them. Such is their gripping power and effectiveness.
With its limited graphic elements – color, shape, and typeface – the Spotify logo easily qualifies as a contemporary, minimalist logo design that can be used across different mediums, including print and digital. The simple, clean logo fits seamlessly into all mediums and materials — from its website, app, and beyond — adding a vibrant and carefree vibe to the brand. Its bright green color entices you to explore their services, and the overall neatness adds a class and charm that perfectly portrays Spotify as the pioneer in the music streaming industry.
Despite a few major changes to the logo design, its innate consistency has been appreciated by the audience. Besides helping Spotify to remain relevant, it has allowed them to win the trust of their followers. The brand owes much of its success and popularity to its powerful logo that exudes positive energy and joy.
Head of Design at DesignBro and is responsible for UI/UX Design, managing the global designer community, and ensuring quality levels of both designers and designs remain high.
