Amazon Music gains 55 million subscribers globally, close call with rival Apple Music at 60 million

Amazon.com Inc said on Wednesday its music streaming service had over 55 million customers globally, edging close to Apple Music but far behind Swedish rival Spotify.Apple Inc said in June that its music streaming service had more than 60 million subscribers, including its customers who are on a free trial of Apple Music.Spotify Technology SA, the world's largest music streaming service, had 113 million paid subscribers as of September.

Amazon Music Unlimited is for $9.99 per month for customers without a Prime subscription, while Apple's music streaming service starts with a plan of $9.99 per month.Amazon, which on Wednesday revealed subscriber metrics for its music streaming service for the first time, launched an ad-supported free version late last year, taking on Spotify that has nearly 140 million users on its free tier.