Spotify to Open Turkey Office in June, Launch New Artist Initiatives

Istanbul, Turkey. Photo Credit: Ahmet Kahveci

Five months after outlining plans to set up shop in Turkey, Spotify is officially set to open its Istanbul office by June’s end.

The DSP disclosed as much – and confirmed several initiatives tailored for the nation of nearly 90 million – in a Turkish-language release today. As some will recall, 2025 delivered a fresh dispute between Spotify and the Turkish government, which took issue with the service’s alleged “anti-competitive practices” and purported failure to address complaints about on-platform content.

(Said complaints specifically involved uploads offending “religious sensitivities” or targeting “the esteemed wife of” President Erdoğan, deputy minister of culture and tourism Batuhan Mumcu spelled out last year.)

Long story short, the government voiced these concerns alongside criticism about Spotify’s lack of a physical office in Turkey. Multiple months and withdrawal threats later, the parties managed to reach the initially mentioned pact pertaining to an Istanbul division and more.

Now, the resolution wheels are in motion: Spotify “will open a new office in Istanbul by the end of June,” according to Google’s translation of the Turkish announcement message.  

More immediately, the DSP has also expanded the role of MD Akshat Harbola, already overseeing operations across MENA and Pakistan, to include Turkey as well. Apparently, Harbola has been meeting with government officials and local media as of late; in an interview, the exec wasn’t subtle about emphasizing the enhanced focus on Turkey.

“I am currently responsible for approximately 25 markets. Turkey is my number one priority,” Harbola’s translated remarks read in part.

Furthermore, Spotify is hitting all the right notes when it comes to popularizing homegrown talent on the global stage.

With 52 million international users having listened to Turkish music during 2025, with a 160% stream-volume spike from 2020, Harbola laid out the growth trend’s “next phase.”

“We are proud to have supported this momentum to date, and now we are focusing on the next phase: supporting the sustainability of careers and helping local voices reach different audiences worldwide,” he added.

Adjacent to this commitment, Spotify intends to move forward with its EQUAL Turkey, RADAR Turkey, and ICON Turkey programs, which promote female, emerging, and legacy artists, respectively.

Likewise on the horizon are Spotify Masterclass outings in Istanbul, where, beginning in spring, the platform will “provide artists and artist teams with practical tools and information to help them succeed in the rapidly changing music economy.”

There are, of course, significant differences between the many markets in which Spotify operates – including in terms of pricing and a whole lot else.

Nevertheless, the above-described approach to eliciting support for the local music scene is comparatively effective. On the other hand, France’s implementation of a “streaming tax,” which is designed to bankroll the National Music Center, produced a noticeably different response from the company.