Spotify users are rallying for a refund from the music streaming giant, following complaints of excessive advertising for Drake’s latest album Scorpion. The service offers an unpaid service where users are served ads and are unable to skip songs as well as a paid service where users are promised zero advertisements. Though, many paying users have come out criticising Spotify and questioning how the platform can be considered ‘ad-free’ while heavily promoting an artist. According to the users, Spotify homepages – which are usually filled with recommended artists – have only featured songs by Drake. Disgruntled users have taken to social media to air their complaints and ask for a refund for their ad-free subscriptions. Spotify chose not to respond to the criticism at first, instead, posting a Tweet about the popularity of Drake’s album. However, on Monday, the platform said: The move echoes a ‘misguided’ decision made by iTunes in 2014. According to music magazine Billboard, “For some, the campaign is reminiscent of Apple’s misguided ‘giveaway’ of U2’s Songs of Innocence album in 2014, when the band’s album was uploaded to all iTunes users’ libraries without consent. “But there is more to it too. As Spotify subscribers have become accustomed to the app personalizing its service to their interests, when the company executed total editorial influence like this, a portion of users seemingly felt betrayed.”
Paid - up users of music streaming platform Spotify are demanding a refund because of the service 's excessive promotion of Drake 's new album Scorpion ; many reported that their home page featured only songs by Drake , compared to a usually broader selection of other artists . Spotify 's free service includes ads , and users are unable to skip them . However , paid users are supposed to have an ad - free service . Many critics have questioned how the service can be considered ad - free when an album is heavily promoted .