Streaming Music Website Spotify Launches in the U.S.

News
By
published

Spotify, which has more than 750,000 subscribers in Europe, was launched in the U.S. this morning. The website, which allows users to stream unlimited music for a monthly subscription fee and up to 10 hours free of charge, has long been successful overseas but has faced grueling negotiations with the major record labels before it was allowed to launch in the U.S.

The company, which was recently valued at $1 billion, issued a statement on its official website which said that users in the US will be able to sign up for the service by subscription and invitation today, July 14.

Spotify has so far paid almost $64 million to record labels in the seven European countries in which the service is available.

Josh Hart
Josh Hart

Josh Hart is a former web producer and staff writer for Guitar World and Guitar Aficionado magazines (2010–2012). He has since pursued writing fiction under various pseudonyms while exploring the technical underpinnings of journalism, now serving as a senior software engineer for The Seattle Times.