v3.19.3.a.u2
Financial Risk Management and Financial Instruments - Additional Information (Details)
£ in Millions, kr in Millions, kr in Millions, $ in Millions, $ in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Oct. 17, 2019
shares
Oct. 04, 2019
EUR (€)
shares
Jul. 01, 2019
EUR (€)
shares
Apr. 01, 2019
EUR (€)
Nov. 05, 2018
EUR (€)
shares
Nov. 05, 2018
USD ($)
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Apr. 03, 2018
EUR (€)
Jul. 13, 2017
EUR (€)
shares
Oct. 17, 2016
EUR (€)
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Dec. 31, 2019
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2018
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2017
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2019
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2019
SEK (kr)
Dec. 31, 2019
AUD ($)
Dec. 31, 2019
GBP (£)
Dec. 31, 2019
CAD ($)
Dec. 31, 2019
NOK (kr)
Dec. 31, 2018
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2018
SEK (kr)
Dec. 31, 2018
AUD ($)
Dec. 31, 2018
GBP (£)
Jan. 31, 2018
shares
Jan. 01, 2018
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Dec. 29, 2017
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Dec. 15, 2017
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Nov. 20, 2013
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Nov. 13, 2012
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Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Ordinary shares authorized to be repurchased | shares         10,000,000 10,000,000                                            
Share repurchase program expiry date         Apr. 21, 2021 Apr. 21, 2021         Apr. 21, 2021                                  
Percentage of investment in counterparties and instruments                   10.00%                                    
Description of cash investment                   Investments are subject to credit rating thresholds and at the time of investment, no more than 10% of surplus cash can be invested in any one issuer (excluding certain government bonds and investments in cash management banks)                                    
Weighted average maturity description of portfolio                   The weighted-average maturity of the portfolio shall not be greater than 2 years, and the final maturity of any investment is not to exceed 5 years.                                    
Short term investments maximum liquidity period                   90 days                                    
Credit losses on short term investments                   € 0 € 0                                  
Currency strengthening percentage                   10.00% 10.00%                                  
Currency weakening percentage                   10.00% 10.00%                                  
Effect of 10 percentage change in Euro against translation exposure currencies on equity                   € 50,000,000 € 12,000,000                                  
Impact of percentage change in currency exchange on equity                   10.00% 10.00%                                  
Increase or decrease in interest rate                   1.00% 1.00%                                  
Impact of change in interest rate on interest income                   € 6,000,000 € 8,000,000                                  
Changes in share price percentage                   10.00%                                    
Impact on the accrual for social costs on outstanding share-based payment awards                   € 14,000,000 11,000,000                                  
Gain associated with the changes in fair value of instruments                   0 8,000,000                                  
Transfers between levels                   0 0                                  
Warrants sold to acquire ordinary shares     € 15,000,000         € 9,000,000 € 27,000,000                                      
Ordinary shares acquired trough warrants issue | shares     800,000         1,600,000 5,120,000                                      
Exercise price of warrants     € 190,090,000         € 89,730,000   € 50,610,000                                    
Warrant exercise price number of times of fair market value of ordinary shares     1.3 times         1.3 times   1.2 times                                    
Warrants expiry date     Jul. 01, 2022                                                  
Ordinary shares issued | shares 1,991,627 1,600,000                                         9,431,960 9,431,960 1,754,960 4,800,000 8,233,160 4,204,120
Number of warrants exercised | shares   1,600,000                                                    
Number of warrants effectively net settled | shares 3,520,000                                                      
Proceeds from exercise of warrants   € 74,000,000               € 74,000,000 0 € 0                                
Purchase price related to estimated fair value of contingent consideration       € 13,000,000                                                
Maximum potential contingent consideration payout over next three years       € 43,000,000                                                
Expenses recorded within finance costs                   € 0 201,000,000 524,000,000                                
Reclassification of convertible notes to other paid in capital within equity             € 1,100,000,000                                          
Tencent Music Entertainment Group                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Changes in share price percentage                   10.00%                                    
Non-controlling equity interest percentage                   8.00%                                    
Investments transferred from level 3 to level 1                   € 1,630,000,000                                    
Non Designated Hedges                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Notional amount                   € 0 0                                  
Warrants                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Percentage of increase decrease in ordinary share price                   10.00%                                    
Convertible Notes                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Expenses recorded within finance costs             € 123,000,000                                          
Cash Flow Hedges | Foreign Exchange Forwards                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Notional amount                   € 1,538,000,000 968,000,000   $ 67,000,000 kr 2,053 $ 402 £ 570 $ 335 kr 1,238 $ 48,000,000 kr 1,869 $ 330 £ 484            
Financial Credit Risk                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Cash and cash equivalents and short term investments                   1,757,000,000 1,806,000,000                                  
Top of Range                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Ordinary shares authorized to be repurchased | shares         10,000,000 10,000,000                                            
Approved share repurchase amount         € 1,000,000,000 $ 1,000,000,000                                            
Top of Range | Tencent Music Entertainment Group                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Value of the long term investment                     1,629,000,000 1,793,000,000                                
Top of Range | Warrants                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Value of warrants                   127,000,000 399,000,000                                  
Bottom of Range | Tencent Music Entertainment Group                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Value of the long term investment                     1,333,000,000 € 1,467,000,000                                
Bottom of Range | Warrants                                                        
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management And Financial Instruments [Line Items]                                                        
Value of warrants                   € 75,000,000 € 273,000,000