Most millennial’s probably can not remember a time without a music app. Starting with Pandora then transitioning to other apps such as Spotify and Apple music, these apps have changed the way we view and enjoy music. Daniel Ek, a Swedish entrepreneur is the man behind the popularly used app Spotify. This entrepreneurs story is different than most. His creative thinking process began when he was 14 but did not begin to take off until he was 24. In an interview with CNBC he said “I had always wanted to belong and I had been thinking that this was going to get solved when I had money, and instead I had no idea how I wanted to live my life”. Rather than living a life full of partying and useless activities, he decided to move away from that scene and focus what is important and meaningful to him. His separation from what he thought he wanted in life is where his idea for Spotify first started. The creation of the app began in 2006 in Sweden and was launched two years later in 2008.It was not until 2012 that Spotify was first introduced to the United States. Spotify started out with a fairly simple model with the option to listen for free or purchase a subscription, but has developed significantly over the years by expanding the music selection, adding podcasts and allowing users to put together and “download” playlists. Founder Daniel Ek lives a very orderly and strict lifestyle.

Ek says that “the most creative people in the world schedule their creativity”, which is contradictory to what most people would think. Spotify is always changing and that is largely do to the dedication and commitment that Ek has for thinking about new ways to improve the app and get ahead of his competitors. Daniel is currently worth upwards of 2 billion dollars, and currently owns 9% of the companies shares. At 36 years old, Daniel Ek is making drastic changes to the music industry, especially for the listener. He found a way to make music more accessible and made his platform useful for all ages and all music interests. The technological aspect of his invention has brought back songs from decades ago and placed them right at our finger tips to enjoy. He has connected people through a mutual interest, music, and created a community of creative thinking and music enjoyment.