Request to Make Spotify Available in Myanmar🇲🇲

[simonpeterem29]

Dear Spotify Team and Community,

I am writing to request that Spotify officially expand its services to Myanmar. Currently, there are very few music streaming platforms available in Myanmar, and Spotify is one of the most requested platforms among music lovers here.

Despite the lack of local music platforms, many users in Myanmar already access Spotify through alternative methods like VPNs, demonstrating the significant demand for your service in our country. Expanding Spotify’s availability here would not only meet this demand but also help promote legal music streaming and support artists globally.

Myanmar has a vibrant community of music enthusiasts who would greatly benefit from Spotify’s vast library of songs, playlists, and podcasts. By officially supporting Myanmar, Spotify can tap into a new market while bringing joy and convenience to thousands of users.

Thank you for considering this request. I hope to see Spotify officially available in Myanmar soon!

Best regards, Simon Peter💗

[katarighe]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the message, me too I am facing a similar issue since I am a Spotify listener since 2018 and registered my account back in Canada.

Since 2020, I am currently living in Somalia for work, and my friend, who lives in Turkmenistan, is currently unavailable. I have complained about this issue for two years but haven't received a positive response. Right now, I can only access Spotify with a VPN or subscribe to Premium but isn't useful because you have to renew it every month and there is no yearly option.

The only alternatives to Spotify in my country are Apple Music and Deezer. YouTube Music also launched last year in my country, where Spotify is still unavailable. In Myanmar, only Apple Music is available as the best Spotify alternative.

When I reported this matter several times, the customer service told me that their team are looking for availability for region in which its unavailable like Myanmar and that the expansion is ongoing. However, they refuse to give me an exact time frame on when will it come.

Well, that's what I can only say that to you. If you have any questions, you are welcome to reply.

Thank you for the concern.

[katarighe]

Update on 2 March 2025:

Other streaming services like Netflix, YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Deezer are accessible here for years, so there seems to be no significant barrier preventing Spotify from operating in these regions.

As of today, there are 16 countries and territories where Spotify is currently not available: Afghanistan, British Indian Ocean Territory, Central African Republic, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, and Yemen.

In contrast, there are 184 countries and territories where Spotify is currently available, mostly in Europe, as well as Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania.

After researching, I’ve identified two groups of countries regarding Spotify’s potential operations in the future:

Group 1 - Countries Where Spotify Can Likely Operate: Afghanistan, British Indian Ocean Territory, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Turkmenistan, and Yemen. These countries already have other streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Deezer available, proving that similar platforms can successfully operate in these regions.

Group 2 - Countries Where Spotify Likely Cannot Operate: China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Syria. These countries face sanctions, regulatory barriers, or political issues that make it difficult for Spotify to expand into these territories.

Spotify’s last major expansion occurred in December 2022 when the service was launched in Ethiopia. At the time, Spotify promised that it would continue to expand its availability to new regions gradually. However, as of now, there hasn’t been any further expansion, and it’s unclear whether Spotify is actively working to bring its service to more countries.

I urge Spotify to revisit its expansion plans and consider launching in countries where barriers to entry are minimal. Countries like Myanmar, Somalia and Turkmenistan would greatly benefit from having access to Spotify, as they already support other streaming platforms, proving the demand for such services.

Expanding into these regions not only benefits Spotify by reaching new audiences but also gives millions of people the opportunity to enjoy Spotify’s unique music experience.

Thank you for listening, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!