Qobuz’ 2025: Ethical Music Consumers Find Their Streaming Alternative

Qobuz, the independently-owned, high quality music streaming choice of discerning music lovers, is closing out its biggest year to date. In 2025, Qobuz peaked at #4 in October on the US iOS app store (music category), saw trials more than double, and generated buzz from influencers ranging from Anthony Fantano to Chelsea Handler, who touted the company for its integrity and curation. TikTok videos like THIS one recommending Qobuz for listeners looking for an ethical alternative to stream their music received hundreds of thousands of interactions, and helped the company achieve almost 40% year-over-year growth by the end of September 2025.

As part of its commitment to artists and to transparency with its users, Qobuz released its industry-high average pay-per-stream royalty rate to the public in March ($0.01873 / stream). Read about the announcement - a first of its kind for a streaming platform and thus a major push for transparency in the streaming ecosystem at large - at Billboard HERE. In May, Qobuz landed its executives on the Billboard Global Power Players List for the second year in a row.

Beyond its operation outside of a multinational conglomerate (Qobuz is actually a family-owned company, and all employees are shareholders), its moves towards transparency, and its Hi-Res sound, Qobuz also drew new users this year for its deep commitment to human curation. While mainstream platforms’ recommendations are mostly algorithm-based, Qobuz still relies chiefly on real people for its RIYLs and playlists - tens of thousands of human-curated, specific playlists for every taste are available.

Qobuz Magazine, Qobuz’ in-app music and hi-fi journalism offering and another major differentiator from other streaming platforms, also celebrated its biggest year yet. Working with dozens of veterans across every corner of music writing, the Magazine published over 500 album reviews in English alone, and featured interviews with the likes of Molly Tuttle, Blondshell, Franz Ferdinand, Samara Joy, Laurie Anderson, Colin Blunstone, and Billy Woods, while other outlets pulled back their editorial (or have shuttered entirely). And because Qobuz has no ads, its editorial is 100% independent.

Qobuz deepened its commitment to the indie music community this year, too, and was present “in the field” at the hottest festivals in addition to the typical audio shows. It signed partnerships with the renowned German jazz label ACT Music, US audiophile label Chesky Records, and the pioneering Hi-Res download label Linn Records, and introduced Label Pages on the app, offering users a designated space to dive deep into their favorite labels’ catalogs. IRL, Qobuz presented after-shows at Newport Folk and Newport Jazz, hosted intimate listening sessions at the UK’s We Out Here Festival, and was in London for the Brick Lane Jazz Festival as an official festival partner. They continued their live show series with International Anthem and Sam First, and partnered with David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label for the first time to host a live-to-record show with Annie & the Caldwells.

And on the tech front, Qobuz made key improvements. Qobuz Connect, which enables users to stream music directly using the Qobuz app to control their compatible streaming devices without the need for third-party applications, was released, in one of the most anticipated new feature launches since Qobuz landed in the US in 2019. Supported by nearly one hundred partners, 100 million streams have already been played via Qobuz Connect, and the feature has been recognized internationally with a Planning Award at VGP 2025 (Japan’s leading audiovisual industry accolade). Qobuz also released its long-awaited integration into the HEOS app, the proprietary wireless multi-room audio platform found in many Denon and Marantz products, making the Qobuz listening experience even more flexible for thousands of users. Keeping the balance between human curation and personal recommendations for which it is known, Qobuz also released its redesigned Discover Page this year. And Qobuz Club, which launched in 2023, continued to grow as it has brought together an international community of nearly 70 thousand music lovers, audiophiles, and enthusiasts who share insights on music, Hi-Fi equipment, and their latest discoveries.

Watch for more to come from - and more converts to join - Qobuz in 2026!

About Qobuz 

Founded in 2007, Qobuz is an independently-owned music platform and a pioneer in high-quality sound, standing out as a unique alternative in the streaming market. Available in 26 countries across Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, and Japan, it is aimed at all those seeking an authentic and fulfilling musical experience. With more than 100 million tracks in lossless quality — CD, Hi-Res (24-bit/up to 192 kHz), DXD, and DSD — Qobuz offers the richest Hi-Res catalog on the market, recognized by the world's leading hi-fi brands. It stands out for its commitment to preserving original recordings, in addition to its human touch with unique editorial content, expertly curated playlists, liner notes, and more. Since 2021, Qobuz Club (https://community.qobuz.com/) has brought together an international, online community of audiophiles and music lovers. In 2025, Qobuz became the first music platform to publish its average per-stream payout rate — US$0.01873, officially verified and the highest on the market to date — reaffirming its commitment to a fairer and more sustainable streaming model. Qobuz is Hi-Res Audio certified by the Japan Audio Society (JAS).

For more information on Qobuz, contact Hannah Schwartz at Shore Fire Media