Using Spotify in an unsupported country/region

[katarighe]

Hi everyone,

As a loyal Spotify user for the past 6 years (last location was Canada), there is only one issue I'm facing which is using the service from an unsupported country, which I'm currently residing in at the moment. For the last few years, I'm considering to subscribe to Premium, however I decided not to go ahead with it until I wait it becomes available. 

I’m writing to ask about Spotify's availability in countries where it is still not accessible, specifically Somalia and Turkmenistan. My friend who is working in Turkmenistan is also a Spotify user, where its currently unavailable at the moment.

When I visit Spotify.com, I receive the message that Spotify is currently unavailable in my location (see the attachment for reference).

Many African countries got access to Spotify in 2021 and 2022. The last expansion I noticed was in December 2022 when Ethiopia joined the list. However, since then, there have been no updates about new country expansions in 2023 or 2024.

For almost two years, I’ve been waiting for Spotify to launch in Somalia and Turkmenistan. Meanwhile, other music streaming services like YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Deezer are already available here (see the sample music), leaving Spotify behind.

With 2 weeks left to 2025 and no news about upcoming expansions, I am starting to wonder:

• Is Spotify still expanding into new countries where it is currently unavailable?
• Has the expansion process slowed down or stopped altogether?

The only way I can access these services temporality is travelling to the country where it is available, which I have done a couple of times this year. I’ve considered using a VPN to access Spotify, but I know this is not a recommended solution. Moreover, I’ve also reached out to Spotify Customer Service before, but they seem to have no specific information about future expansions.

Could someone shed light on this situation? Many potential users in Somalia, Turkmenistan and other unserved regions would love to join the Spotify family! Many of them would like to access the millions of songs and podcasts that they can't get anywhere else.

Finally, is there any insights on users with Free accounts can access Spotify in an unsupported region? If not, what are the options available?

Thanks in advance for any updates or insights.

[Maxim]

Hey @katarighe,

Thanks for coming to the Community.

Spotify are launching in new countries as often as possible though. Be sure to check https://newsroom.spotify.com/ from time to time to be the first to hear 🙂

I know this likely isn't the answer you were hoping for, but if Spotify's Customer Service isn't able to provide more specific info, we can't either. 

Have a great day!

[katarighe]

Hi again,

Thanks for your response. I appreciate the clarification, although it’s a bit disappointing.

I’ve noticed that other music streaming services like YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Deezer have been available in my country for quite some time now, please see the screenshot from my first post. This makes me wonder: if these services could expand here, wouldn’t it also be possible for Spotify?

You also mentioned that such matters are confidential. Is that entirely true? I’ve been waiting for a long time—over a year—and it’s frustrating, especially since the last country expansion (Ethiopia) happened two years ago.

I really hope Spotify considers expanding here soon. It’s a great platform, and I’d love to be able to use it without having to rely on workarounds like VPNs.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Have a great day!

[Maxim]

Hey @katarighe,

Thanks for getting back.

Unfortunately, the info I've provided is complete and there's no additional info that can be shared at this time.

Please refer to Spotify's Newsroom as well as their social media channels to be the first to hear of launches in new countries/regions. 🙂

[katarighe]

Hi again,

From your previous message, you are saying that you are a moderator and you are not able to give my any additional information on the expansion to new countries. Is that right?

For quite some time, I always keep updated to the newsroom as well as going to spotify.com, but haven't heard any update on the expansion. And the news are mostly dominated by the Wrapped 2024 coverage.

In that case, should I use a VPN to continue using it? Or refrain from it and keep waiting until I get something different on spotify.com or I hear any new updates from them. 

Anyway, thanks for the advice.