Like we mentioned earlier today, July 14th marks a momentous occasion as Spotify has officially arrived on this side of the world. In an official press release issued today that is aptly titled “Hello America. Spotify here.” the popular music streaming service from Europe is now here. It is touted as the second single largest source of digital music revenue for labels in Europe – so it is a pretty big deal. With over 10 million registered users (1.6 million paying subscribers), it is the largest and fastest growing service of its kind.
So what does this mean for us? Well, just in case you’re in the dark about Spotify, it is an on-demand music streaming service that lets you listen to all your music online. It eliminates the need to download or fill your device with songs each time you go out. No more hassle of ripping CDs or spending time waiting for an album to transfer to your smartphone or PMP – just stream everything you want to listen to with the Spotify service.
Playlists can be created and easily shared with your friends, and so can the music you listen to. And for those times where you won’t have access to data for awhile, you’ll be able to sync your MP3 playlists with your devices for offline listening.
As predicted, Spotify will have an invite-only beta phase, but it will have its three different plans available from the start:
Spotify Free – the unsurpassed free music service. With an invite, enjoy on-demand, buffer-free access to over 15 million songs on your computer, great social features, manage your own music files through Spotify, and sync with your cellphone or iPod. Features occasional advertising.
Spotify Unlimited – all the special features of our free service but with uninterrupted, ad-free access to Spotify on your computer. All for only $4.99 a month.
Spotify Premium – the all-singing, all-dancing, top-of-the-range Spotify experience. Premium gives you access to all the music, all the time. Listen online or offline, on your computer, your cellphone and a whole heap of other devices. Enjoy enhanced sound quality and access to exclusive content, competitions and special offers. Premium costs just $9.99 a month (that’s the equivalent of a few fancy coffees).
If you’d like to try out Spotify, keep your eyes peeled for invites, you never know when someone close to you might start giving them out. When you do get to try the service in the US, drop us a comment and let us know what you think about it. Is it as good as all the hype that’s been surrounding it?