Some big news coming out of Spotify today, what with the company removing its five-play track caps in five European countries for its free service, and now announcing an extension of its unlimited six-month trial for free users in the US.
“Well, it’s now been 9 months since we launched in the US. Time sure flies when you’re having fun! To celebrate, here’s some great news,” explains Spotify on its US blog.
“We’ve been so overwhelmed by the US response to Spotify that we’ve extended the honeymoon for unlimited free listening. Right now, if you’re a free user, you can continue to enjoy millions and millions of tracks without time limits, gimmicks or catches. It’s our way of saying thanks to the US!”
What’s left unsaid is how long the honeymoon will be extended for. Spotify most certainly isn’t saying, which raises the prospect that it could be a rolling feast, depending on the patience of its label licensors (and stakeholders, remember) as they watch free users convert to paying subscribers.
The news isn’t entirely a surprise: Spotify’s five-play track cap and 10-hours-a-month limits should have kicked in three months ago for US users who signed up on launch day, but they didn’t. Negotiations with the labels – specifically on the point that an unlimited free service was more likely to yield conversions – are likely the cause.
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