Spotify to make it big on the world's biggest music market (US)

The US is probably the widest and busiest hub of music in all its forms. Often the competition in the industry remains confined to giant powerhouses within the contours of the country. But recently, after two years of rigorous negotiations with music companies and after the new ground rules for the industry were laid down, Spotify, a Swedish music streaming service application, has finally confirmed its arrival on the American soil. Spotify has made plans not just to find a place for itself in the huge music market of US, but create a market of its own for which they have signed deals with Universal, Warner Music, Sony, and EMI. They will not offer free memberships, and their ad-free version shall be priced at $4.99/ month and the premium version at $9.99, both without restriction. With this, they have sorted out the matter of restrictions in terms of accounts that was hanging on their necks a couple of months back. Spotify’s launch in the States was funded at $100million by Accel, Kleiner Perkins, and Digital Sky Technologies; the final funding value for Spotify being $1bn.

Spotify

Areas that'll help Spotify dominate US music market

Spotify promises to deliver unsurpassable and never-imagined free music service. Just with an invite, one can listen to upto 15 million songs, that too buffer-free, on demand. In addition, you can synchronize Spotify with your mobile phone or iPod.

Spotify’s unlimited

This gives the pleasure of all of Spotify free version’s features but without any sort of interruption. The unlimited service comes at $4.99/month.

Spotify’s premium

This gives you the best of Spotify with features ranging from streaming to ad-free spaces. One can listen to music being online as well as offline, and allows permission to exclusive content as well. All this costs $9.99/month.

Making music more social:

Nothing connects one man with another like music, the most social of all forms of communication. Spotify believes in this notion and thus offer easy sharing and the ultimate in terms of discovery in music. If you do not like your collection, there is every possibility that you will admire the collection of your friend. So, go ahead, and connect with your friend to discover new music tracks.

More flexible

Spotify has for the first time ventured out of Europe and US is the eighth country of operation for Spotify. Many may feel Spotify is a rip-off from iTunes, but it is much more flexible than iTunes. It ultimately aims to give people a simple, yet compelling service and it even outdoes pirated objects’ satisfaction.

Challenge to all existing digital music services

The phonographic industry has announced that Spotify now occupies second spot in the race of digital revenue for record labels in the European continent. However, admittedly, the competition is much stronger in USA with already established names in the market, which are tough to dethrone. Spotify’s integrated nature holds an advantage over others.

Integration with Facebook

Spotify is set to offer services in Facebook too as the two giants are set to enter a partnership, which shall allow free music streaming while posting updates and commenting on others. Because of Facebook’s social mega-acceptance and dependence, Spotify can strike gold with this partnership. Currently, sources have said that testing processes are on, and the deal should come through in a couple of weeks.

Music on your mobile

Premium users shall have the added advantage of being able to synchronize their playlists on their cell phone and listen to music anytime. For the free, open, or unlimited users, if they have an iPhone or android device, they can download and have access to the Spotify mobile app and wirelessly synchronized songs.

Free, open and unlimited users

Premium account holders can access Spotify from their iPhone or android devices, without access to Spotify Library or offline listening mode. Or you can buy Spotify playlists and wirelessly sync them to your phone.

Business partnering with others

Spotify’s launch in the US will be partnered by many other big names of the corporate sector which include Coca-Cola and Sprite, Chevrolet, Motorola, Reebok, Sonos, and Daily. These associations will further boost the brand power of Spotify in the US.