Is Spotify Finally Coming to America?

[Wiley John Wright]

Music streaming service Spotify has a strong following in Europe and is planning to launch in the United States by the end of the year, if they can make a deal with the major record labels. Negotiations are ongoing, but no agreement has yet to be made. Spotify is a free music streaming service that generates income via advertising. A paid premium service is also available that let’s users enjoy music without advertising, and have access to the iPhone app.

Although a US launch is greatly anticipated, record labels have doubts that Spotify will ever generate significant profits. Apple is also said to be talking with record labels, arguing that Spotify’s free music service would significantly hurt download music sales. Apple’s position is that it’s hard to sell something others are giving away for free. With the decline of music sale worldwide, Apple wants to maintain its position as market leader.

Free music services like Spotify have had difficulties getting licensing deals in the past. Recently, Apple removed the Gooveshark music-streaming app from the App Store after receiving a complaint from the Universal Music Group. Fortunately, Gooveshark is still available online, but it will be some time before iPhone users can access the site.

With Apple deeply entrenched and Google gearing up to launch it’s own music service, there seems to be little hope that Spotify will ever launch in the US. I hope Spotify is able to secure the licensing deals needed to launch in the coming months. I would love to start the New Year listening to music for free on my iPhone with Spotify.

Source: Cnet

[iPhoenix3g]

You know you guys in the u.s have everything, I'm still waiting for a netflix like service to come to the UK. I mean I do use spotify now and again but honestly it's not all that great.

[Rob2G]

I had never even herd of spotify until this article.

[iPhoenix3g]

I don't think many people have tbh.

[lamper]

You can't listen to spotify on your iphone for free, you need to pay a subscription to use that functionality, but it does let you listen off line!

[iPhoenix3g]

yeah i don't pay either, and I find a lot of stuff I want to listen to I can't find ... :/

[Halten77]

In the U.S. we have something that does the same job, but better at it: Frostwire :P

[hmn11]

thats what we do in the US, we take other peoples ideas, and run with em :P

[RocketshipVirus]

Is this like Pandora?

[zenics]

grooveshark!

[zoso10]

and Google gearing up to launch it’s own music service

Yeah even if Spotify does come here it'll get tossed to the side while everyone uses Google, besides everyone is so accustomed to Pandora, Grooveshark, or even Last.fm I doubt it'll catch on.

[AUZambo]

What is spotify more similar to: Pandora or Grooveshark?

[hitman10]

hmm..

[coolguy742]

It would be very nice if this FINALLY comes to the US

*EDIT*
For the record I cant stand Last.fm Pandora or grooveshark

In the U.S. we have something that does the same job, but better at it: Frostwire :P

Frostwire and Limewire FTW man (torrents are still better though lol)

[ShredNasty]

Omfg! You mean I might get another music streaming service?! Wow. I don't know what I'd do without reception dependent spam radio!

[soulthoughts]

I'm curious...what does this do that Pandora doesn't?

[hookedonkronix]

Pandora is just an Internet radio. It plays random songs and you can hardly find the songs you want to hear. Spotify is like Grooveshark, they allow you to listen to the song youve searched for. You can also create a playlist. Of course the best places for music are Pirate Bay and Frostwire.

[Havalito]

Hopefully ModmyI will accept my package, called musicdog .. does basicaly the same as spotify but completly free and without ad's.

[EskimoRuler]

Never heard of it

[cypherpunk]

Spotify should be forced to allow streaming internationally, and the record companies should have the clauses that restrict streaming by country invalidated, as they are a violation of the human right to nondescrimination.

They can't do this anymore than a store owner can refuse someone service just because they're black or (as in this case) just because they're American.