Spotify, one of the most popular music streaming services, has officially launched in India on February 26.
Initially, the launch was scheduled towards the end of last month. Then it was speculated to be delayed to mid-March. But on the night of 26 February, the Spotify app was silently launched as it started showing up on Android and iOS app stores.
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Spotify’s freemium streaming service will be available for free but the ads will be unskippable. Also, the option to skip a track you don’t like is only available in the paid version – free users can skip up to 6 tracks a day.
Spotify is also offering a free, 30-day trial of its Premium tier, which can be paid for by selecting from one of the following subscription packages:
- One day: Rs 13
- Seven days: Rs 39
- One month: Rs 129
- Three months: Rs 389
- Six months: Rs 719
- One year: Rs 1,189
These prices – the cheapest rate Spotify offers in any market – and an open free tier underscore the unique challenge India presents to global companies. Very few people in the nation are willing – or can afford – to pay for premium services.
‘As Spotify grows, our goal is to bring millions of artists and billions of fans together from every country and background,’ said Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek in a statement. ‘India has an incredibly rich music culture, and to best serve this market, we’re launching a custom-built experience. Not only will Spotify bring Indian artists to the world, we’ll also bring the world’s music to fans across India. Spotify’s music family just got a whole lot bigger.’
Meanwhile, in the past year, the company has faced numerous challenges while negotiating licensing deals with local and international music labels. It faced a lawsuit from Warner Music over licensing of its massive catalogue, which includes heavy hitters like Katy Perry and Led Zeppelin. Spotify received some relief when the Bombay High Court said it would not issue an injunction.
As in other countries, Spotify says it will offer personalized, locally flavored playlists to Indian listeners.
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