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Universal reportedly signed up for Spotify USA
By CMU Editorial | Published on Tuesday 14 June 2011
The ink is on the paper, according to reports, meaning Spotify now has three of the major record companies signed up for a US launch of its subscription-based streaming service and free to use five-plays-preview jukebox.
Spotify has been on the verge of signing up Universal to its US service – Sony and EMI already being in the bag – for some time now, and according to various reports that deal is now finally done. It means only Warner Music is holding out in terms of the music majors for a US launch of the popular European streaming service, which has been a long time coming for many American music fans.
Of course, the nature of the freemium version of Spotify has changed somewhat since talks to licence the service Stateside first began. That change has presumably helped Spotify in its talks with the US labels, execs at which were always nervous about the platform’s original all-you-can-eat free option. Word has it even talks with Warner are now moving forward.
Spotify could launch in the US without Warner on board, though if the rumours that talks there are now moving forward are true, the company may want to hold off until all the major label catalogues are cleared for streaming. Given how delayed the US launch has been already, it probably wouldn’t do Spotify any harm to wait a couple more months.
How soon it could actually go live in the US once all the majors are on board remains to be seen, though some are now predicting a summer launch.
