A NEW owner would be music for the ears of Arsenal fans – especially if it is the founder of the streaming service Spotify.
The 38-year-old billionaire Daniel Ek is said to be making a takeover bid for Arsenal – with the help of Gunners legends Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira.
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Billionaire Spotify founder Daniel Ek is reportedly interested in a takeover at ArsenalPhoto credit: Getty
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Ek supports Arsenal because his favorite player was Anders LimparPhoto credit: Allsport
As a kid, I’ve been cheering @Arsenal for as long as I can remember. If KSE wants to sell Arsenal, I’d like to throw my hat in the ring.
– Daniel Ek (@eldsjal) April 23, 2021
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The song streaming entrepreneur has been supporting the Gunners since he was eight and his favorite player – and compatriot – Anders Limpar graced Highbury.
Ek got punched in the ear by some of the greatest artists in music – who complained about how much money they paid from Spotify.
That could benefit him if he takes over the em-irate-s!
He has built an empire worth £ 48 billion, of which he is said to have a stake of 12-14 percent.
Elk and Arsenal could of course be a heavenly marriage.
And if it’s something like his own wedding, no expense is spared.
Elk invited friends like Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook, to a lavish wedding in a breathtaking location on Lake Como.
Bruno Mars was present as the wedding singer, while Hollywood star Chris Rock led the proceedings.
GUNNER FOR LIFE
Ek was born and raised in a rough suburb of Stockholm called Ragsved. He grew up a gooner.
He fell in love with George Graham’s arsenal in 1991 and it all came from one player – Swedish legend Limpar, who was a shooter from 1990 to 1994.
Ek appeared as an Arsenal fan in a 2018 tweet after beating Crystal Palace 4-1.
I’ve been an Arsenal fan since 1991 (Anders Limpar). However, the desperation (usually it’s a roller coaster ride) this season was something else. First real game I felt at peace.
– Daniel Ek (@eldsjal) January 20, 2018
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38-year-old Ek fell in love with Arsenal when he was eightPhoto credit: Getty
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When Ek is at his £ 43million home in Sweden, he never misses a game on TVPhoto credit: PA
He wrote: “I’ve been a fan of Arsenal (Anders Limpar) since 1991. But the desperation (usually a roller coaster ride) this season was different. First real game that I felt at peace.”
Ek never misses a game from his £ 43million home in Sweden watching games on TV.
TECH SAVVY
He was a self starter. From the age of 14 he owned his own company, designed websites and taught young people how to use Photoshop and the art of programming.
Incredibly, at 16 he made more money than his father, a mechanic, and mother, a childminder combined.
However, Google berated him for not having a degree. Maybe they should have looked him up.
“At the time, I was quite rebellious and didn’t take no for an answer, so I said, ‘I’m going to compete with them,” he told the Financial Times.
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Ek was a college dropout who was once berated by Google for a jobPhoto credit: Rex Features
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Today he is co-founder of Spotify valued at around £ 48 billion and is a close friend of Facebook CEO Mark ZuckerbergImage Credit: Getty – Contributor
BIRTH OF SPOTIFY
In 2008 Ek Spotify launched in Europe and three years later it came to the US.
The streaming service came after Napster – a controversial file sharing service that allowed subscribers to upload music – caused and shut down a large piracy spree.
But Ek was convinced that Spotify could thrive.
He also believed that if it were to offer free music on users’ computers with advertisements, people would pay for a service on their iPhones that would remove ads.
That was enough to get several music companies on the side, who gave Spotify access to their archives for a fee.
Today the company has over 155 million subscribers – many pay £ 9.99 a month for a premium service.
It’s said to be worth around £ 48 billion, but Ek, amusingly relaxed, doesn’t know how much his stake is.
“Maybe 12 to 14 percent, something like that,” he once said.
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Spotify was launched in Europe in 2008 and the US three years laterImage Credit: Getty – Contributor
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Spotify has over 155 million users, some of whom pay the £ 9.99 monthly subscription feeCredit: Alamy
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GUN FOR HIM
Last year Ek had musicians who shot him when he said it was “not enough” to “record music every three to four years”.
Stars like REM songwriter Mike Mills said Elk didn’t understand the work that goes into making hits and they shouldn’t just be kicked out.
Taylor Swift famously removed their entire back catalog from Spotify in 2014, claiming artists weren’t getting enough money per stream. She reconciled with the company in 2017.
Spotify has been estimated to pay around £ 0.0031 per stream – with some music stars getting around £ 3,000 per million streams.
WEDDING TO BEAT ALL WEDDINGS
With friends in high places, Ek always had an amazing wedding day.
The backdrop was the beautiful Lake Como in Italy, where the tech guru said “I do” to his long-time friend Sofia Levander in 2016.
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In 2016 Ek married longtime friend Sofia in Lake Como, ItalyPhoto credit: Facebook
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The ceremony was led by Hollywood A-lister Chris Rock and Swedish explorer Johan Ernst Nilson was one of the star-studded guestsPhoto credit: Instagram @johanernst
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Ek talks to the guests, Zuckerberg and his wife PriscillaPhoto credit: Facebook
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Bruno Mars performed at Ek’s wedding receptionPhoto credit: Instagram @brooke
Facebook co-founder Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla as well as the Swedish explorer Johan Ernst Nilson were some of the guests.
But incredibly, Ek had Hollywood A-Lister Rock conduct the ceremony.
Music was of course a big issue. The couple walked down the aisle to Guns N ‘Roses anthem November Rain.
Mars was hired as the wedding singer – he performed during the reception and appropriately sang his hit Marry You.
FAMILY MAN
Before he settled down, Ek lived the high life: “Buying sports cars, going to expensive nightclubs, spraying people with champagne and the like,” he once said.
But now, at 38, he’s more responsible with his money.
“What I learned is that it wasn’t for me and I feel pretty empty afterwards.”
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Ek is a family man and has two daughtersPhoto credit: Facebook
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Ek prefers nights in his £ 43million house on the outskirts of StockholmPhoto credit: PA
He is now a father of two who is busy with his two daughters, Elissa and Colinne, and reportedly prefers nights at his £ 43million house on the outskirts of Stockholm.
Should he take over at Arsenal, you can bet he won’t see any games on his big screen there.
A nice plush seat is waiting for him in the director’s box.
This is the dream for the king of the brook.
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