The Swedes have done it again! First it was chic, ready-to-assemble home products company, Ikea; then affordable, avant garde retailer, H&M; now, the highly acclaimed music service, Spotify.
Spotify, a free streaming music service originally launched in Sweden in 2008, has recently made it’s U.S. premiere in mid July. Winning over a plethora of users throughout Europe, the eminently praised service hopes to do the same stateside. Spotify offers a unique service: a free, robust music catalogue that can be aggregated into playlists, which can be played on any device with internet service. In contrast to it’s other music streaming counterparts, Spotify’s overly simple user interface –and likeness to Apple’s iTunes layout- allows for easy use-ability, and appeal to all age music aficionados.
One added feature of the U.S. version of Spotify is the Facebook integration where users can create playlists with friends and “like” them.
Despite Spotify’s free service and simple user interface, the Swedish designed music service has some drawbacks. The free version of Spotify is accessible through invitation only, and the version is ladled with a few advertisements, along with a listener cap-off: unlimited access for six months; afterwards, 10 hours per month and 5 plays per track.
Anticipators who cannot wait for an invitation can subscribe to two plans: $4.99 per month “Unlimited” subscription includes, no advertisements and unlimited listening; $9.99 per month “Premium” plan offers additional features, such as mobile access and off-line listening.
From all things Swedish, comes another treat –not to mention Swedish meatballs- Spotify, the simple way to stream music.
