Spotify has officially crossed the 300 million subscriber mark, a milestone the company announced on Tuesday with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for discovering a new genre of music. The streaming giant also reported 777 million monthly active users in the second quarter, a 12% jump from the same period last year.

In a plot twist that defies economic logic, Spotify's subscriber base grew by 9% in the quarter despite raising subscription prices in several regions. The company has been flailing about trying to diversify, introducing fitness content, magazine narrations, concert ticket sales, and even physical books - because nothing says 'streaming music' like a hardcover.

Quarterly revenue hit €4.8 billion ($5.52 billion), up 14% year-over-year, proving that people will pay for convenience even if it comes with a side of existential dread.

Spotify has been on an AI binge lately, releasing tools to create personalized podcasts from various sources and launching a NotebookLM-like feature as an experimental desktop app in May. They've also added AI-powered Q&A and briefing generation to podcasts, partnered with ElevenLabs for an Audiobook creation tool, and struck a deal with music labels to let users make fan-generated remixes. Last month, they introduced a conversational AI assistant that lets you steer content with prompts - because why use your hands when you can just talk to your phone?

Despite all this AI enthusiasm, there's growing backlash against AI-generated music on the platform. To appease the masses, Spotify has added a verification system for artists and, last year, introduced optional labeling for AI-generated tracks. But with no effective way to identify AI music, users are flocking to alternative services like SoullessMusic.com and SlopTracker, as 404 Media reported last month. Because nothing says 'soul' like a website named SoullessMusic.