French platform Qobuz chose the first day of summer, which coincides with the annual Fête de la Musique celebration in France, to highlight what sets it radically apart from the streaming giants. With five telling anecdotes, Qobuz shares a unique perspective on online music. Here’s a closer look at a company that celebrates high-fidelity music all year round, not just on June 21.
High-quality sound: Qobuz is an innovator, not a follower
In the mid-2000s, the world of music streaming was dominated by the race for quantity. MP3 reigned unchallenged, sacrificing sound quality on the altar of download speeds and compression. It was against this backdrop that Qobuz was launched in 2007, with an idea that was considered somewhat counter-intuitive at the time: to offer lossless music to download in CD quality (16 bit/44.1kHz), then in high resolution up to 24-bit/192kHz.
In 2009, the platform became the first in the world to offer streaming in CD quality, well before the arrival of the behemoths in this field. A visionary decision, guided not by trends, but by a deep commitment to sonic fidelity. One of the defining moments of this philosophy came in 2013, when Daft Punk chose Qobuz to release their Random Access Memories album in Hi-Res. To this day, Qobuz continues to offer unaltered files, with no over-compression or algorithmic processing. The original master provided by the label is distributed as is. A bold editorial choice!
A French success story… made in the USA
Long confined to France, Qobuz has managed to attract customers around the globe, to the extent that 80% of its sales are now generated internationally. And it’s in the United States that Qobuz is experiencing its strongest growth. In a country dominated by giants such as Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music, Qobuz’s success is all the more remarkable in that the company has remained totally independent, with a majority French shareholding. A rarity in an ecosystem dominated by buyouts, mergers and fund-raising.
This American breakthrough is based on a unique positioning: an audiophile approach, focused on sound quality, a unique editorial line and discovering artists that aren’t mainstream. A risky bet, but one that appeals to users in search of meaning and originality, far removed from algorithmically-generated standardized playlists.
Japan won over in just seven months
Already well established in Europe, North America and Oceania, Qobuz recently entered a new market: Japan. In just seven months, the archipelago has become the platform’s seventh most important country in terms of subscriber numbers. A dazzling start in a country renowned as one of the most demanding in terms of sound quality, where streaming is still in the minority compared with CDs.
The Japanese success of Qobuz is based on a strong cultural affinity: in Japan, listening to high-quality music is a way of life, a deeply rooted tradition. With Qobuz, the country’s many discerning Hi-Fi enthusiasts found a platform that speaks their language: that of pure sound, respect for the artist’s work and musical passion. Qobuz’s stated aim is to make Japan its third largest market worldwide within the next five years. It’s an ambitious gamble, but a realistic one, given that Qobuz’s offering seems so in tune with the expectations of Japanese audiophiles.
Listening sessions that tell a different story
A closer look at listening habits on Qobuz reveals one thing: diversity is king. In 2024, the most streamed Hi-Res track on the platform was La Symphonie des éclairs by Zaho de Sagazan, a young revelation in the French music scene, while Billie Eilish was the most listened-to artist, with her album Hit Me Hard and Soft in the lead.
In terms of purchases, David Gilmour dominated with Luck and Strange, confirming the appeal of a public with eclectic, inter-generational tastes and an attachment to high fidelity. But it’s above all the most popular playlists on Qobuz that reveal its unique approach: selections such as 100 tracks in 192kHz to test your speakers and If you like Dire Straits… reflect the platform’s expert human editorial work, which guides the user beyond algorithms and towards active, inquisitive listening. Here, the idea is not to pander to current trends, but to open doors, encourage discovery and offer an alternative to standardized listening sessions.
Buying high-resolution music: a conscious act
In a world where 100,000 tracks are released on platforms every day, the very notion of purchasing music may seem obsolete. And yet, on Qobuz, nearly half of all tracks purchased are in 24-bit Hi-Res. A statistic that reflects a different relationship to music: more respectful, more attentive, more profound.
Buying a high-resolution album means choosing ownership, maximum quality and intention. It’s about enjoying, not just consuming. It also means supporting artists and labels directly.
Music brings people together, moves them, unites them. That’s exactly what we celebrate at Qobuz, not just during the Fête de la Musique, but every day through our selections and discoveries, for all those who want to feel music, not just hear it.
Marc Zisman, Qobuz music director
During this year’s Fête de la Musique celebrations, Qobuz reminds us that it offers a service for committed music lovers. The platform does not seek to compete on the basis of volume or gratuity, but offers a premium, human and personalized experience.
