History of the Spotify Logo: Understanding the Elements

Technology has changed the way we go around in our daily life. In this digital age, everyone is either on their smartphones or laptops, be it for work or leisure. To make our life comfortable and go by with ease, we have many applications installed on them. 

Today, many smartphones come with the specifications that help them perform most of the tasks for which one would need a laptop or computer. For example, you can create excel sheets, make presentations, join a zoom meeting, or make payments using your smartphone, and this also includes leisure activities like listening to music, watching movies, or playing games. 

And out of all the hundreds of online applications, the most recognized, probably the most used, and found in almost all smartphones is the music streaming platform – Spotify. The iconic Spotify logo is also one of the best-known and recognized symbols in the digital era.  

The question here is, when, where, and how did the Spotify music logo come from? What made the graphic designer choose to use such a vivid shade or the font featured?

The history of Spotify music: Dawn of the first Spotify logo

An application of Swedish origins, Spotify, was founded on 23 April 2006 by web designer and entrepreneur Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It started as an application for computers and soon came up with the mobile version with the sole purpose of being present at all outlets for their customers, allowing its users to look through a catalog of music licensed through multiple record labels, as well as creating and sharing playlists with other users.

The main aim of Spotify was to combat music piracy, which was a prevalent and pressing issue in the music industry. By offering an all-legal digital music platform that allowed free use of music for a set price, Spotify’s foremost ambition was to bridge the gap between creators and listeners. 

In a few years since its inception, even though a pretty young company, Spotify has managed to bring forth a collaboration with some of the significant record labels such as Universal Music, Warner Music, Hollywood Records, and Sony BMG, among others. Through this process, they bring forth a multitude of artists to their listeners.

Spotify is considered one of the most important applications in the music industry. The easy-to-use streaming technology has managed to catapult itself into the user’s mind with its various promotional mediums. Especially Spotify’s service – the freemium model (free and paid), which facilitates its use through alliances with important social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media channels.)

Spotify is available in every mobile app stand, be it the Apple or Android app stores.

The Evolution of Spotify’s Logo

Spotify has 365 million subscribers per year. In 2011, it had more subscribers than 2 million, and it’s now an instant success.

As such, Spotify wanted to make sure that their logo (i.e., the face of their brand) stood out, followed the branding rules, and was easily recognized. As a result, the current one has a different look compared to the earliest Spotify logo.

The iconic symbol, the green logo, is a minimalist and modern logo with fewer graphic elements. In addition, the logo is balanced well and clear due to its bold font and unique color scheme. As a result, Spotify’s logo remains easily recognizable and readable. And in addition to being versatile and adaptable, the logotype can be used on any advertising platform with ease.

Since its introduction original logo has had two major logo redesigns. Despite this, Spotify’s core brand identity has not changed. That has allowed the brand to gain the trust of its followers. Find some interesting Spotify playlist covers for you!

The Original Spotify Logo

Spotify launched its first logo in 2008. 

The initial Spotify logo featured the company’s name written in a white serif font set against a solid green square badge. The avocado green background was an unusual choice since it was rare to find large logos that used green as their primary branding color. And to outline the letters and increase the contrast with the background, a slightly darker green color with thick rounded lines was used. Show your reaction with these hidden TikTok emojis.

The logo had two notable custom elements – The “o” in the Spotify wordmark is more prominent in this iconic logo, separating it from the rest of the design, and the three curved stripes above the letter “o,” which represent radio waves/sound waves or connectivity (like a broadband icon).

From its inception in 2008 till 2013, this was the Spotify logo design.

The First Change in Logo design

In 2013, Spotify took to major logo redesigns by changing the logo design and rebranding itself for the first time. The music streaming platform opted to completely redesign the trademark, removing both the green square background and the funky “o” in the wordmark.

Not just Spotify, 2013 saw many companies modernizing their logos and making them more simplified and easy to recognize.

The wordmark was replaced by playful lettering – the sans-serif font in a solid black logotype placed next to its icon. In addition, Spotify removed the three white arched lines above the letter “o” and instead replaced it with a solid green circle with three arched lines symbolizing sound waves. The three arched lines fitted inside the circle shape have now become a Spotify trademark, making it easy for anyone to recognize them. And also, the three white arched lines were now in white instead of dark green. These lines, like, before, represented the synergy between internet connectivity and music in the Spotify business model. All of these were fitted inside a neutral background to bring more focus to the brand and the Spotify symbol.

The Current Spotify logo

Just two years after rebranding, the Spotify icon got rebranded again in 2015. And this time, they chose to go for a brighter aesthetic for the new Spotify logo. As has been referred to as the Neon Spotify logo, it changed the primary color of the Spotify brand from a natural avocado green to something much brighter.

Now both the wordmark and the circular emblem are in bright neon green, making it a modern and edgy logo design that is easy to remember and connect.

The Spotify logo’s shade was originally inspired more by nature than technology. At the same time, the other features of the Spotify logo aesthetic remained the same.

The lines in the circle were still white, and the accompanying font was sans-serif, although this time in a neon lemon green circle. Here, the white lines symbolized sound waves.

The shape and Spotify symbol

A Square

The first Spotify logo has a square green background.

A square can symbolize many things. For example, it can mean directions such as north, south, east, and west or indicate an element of nature and represents fire, water, air, and earth. In business, a square is utilized to convey stability and honesty. The symbol also can convey a sense of openness and unity. Its rounded form communicates friendliness and softness.

A circle

Since the first rebranding in 2013, Spotify’s logo has had a circle.

A circle can be related to the elements of space like the sun, moon, or earth. It can also be associated with feminity. Ideally, a circle or ring is connected and used to represent love, community, and infinity. The circle also symbolizes integrity, commitment, and perfection.

Given its use here, we believe that Spotify chose this shape to convey the fact that “Good music is timeless.“

Also, it act’s as a perfect background for the three arc-shaped lines.

Sound Waves

All the logotypes of Spotify have featured the three arc-shaped thick stripes or what is generally dubbed – the soundwaves inside the green round dot. As per Spotify, the three lines represent musical energy/frequency to waves from the original logo to the current. Also, these horizontal lines are free to move, thus conveying a never-ending feeling of distance and calmness.

Since the second Spotify logo design, there have been many custom version of the radio waves. The waves come with a white background or black background apart from the usual green background. Doing so lets the logo design blend wherever they are, whether on music videos or websites.

The Spotify logo colors

Black color

Black is one of the most prominently used colors for a company’s logo. Thus, when Spotify chose the same during its second innings, it was no surprise. Furthermore, apart from its bright green color, the current Spotify logo is also available in all-black color. The color black is associated with emotions that can emote positive or negative. But, here, Spotify chose the color because of its positive emotions, symbolizing power, leadership, and elegance.

White color

White is, in general, a symbol of purity, innocence, and cleanliness across all cultures. In marketing and branding, the white color is associated with goodness and simplicity and is used to promote freshness. And this is also one of the reasons why the color is utilized to represent Spotify’s soundwaves in its current logo. Even in the original logo, the brand’s name was in white.

Green Color

Green is the most dominant color in the natural world. It is the color that we associate with vegetation and wealth. The green color is also described as a symbol of prosperity, growth, and freshness. For Spotify, all its logos have had green as the primary color. They use the color green to convey a sense of progress, serenity, and calmness. 

Spotify Logo font

The Spotify logo is in a sans serif font. Thanks to its thick, straight lines, it is legible and readily identifiable. Additionally, Spotify uses it to communicate its identity to its intended audience. Download your free banner templates at All Time Design.

Final words

Easy to remember, logos are the best. The most memorable logos are engaging, fun, and intriguing. They are everywhere and everywhere. Indeed great logos cannot be overlooked, lost, or forgotten in the crowd. Check out the finest guide for social media image sizes.

Spotify does this in many ways, including its app design and website. It also uses subway walls for advertising its products. The new logo for Spotify is vibrant, engaging, and challenging to miss. The bold green design encourages you to dig deeper and adds class and sophistication to Spotify’s position as a leader within the music streaming industry.