OK, so this is hardly news, but in all honesty it was not until I attended a party very recently that I have actually come across this combination and feel the need to tell all.
The whole world in your hand – minus the US:
Here is the elevator pitch:
Sonos (hardware) and Spotify (software/database) allow subscribers (to Spotify’s premium account at £10 a month) the chance to access a huge database of songs (8 Million) and the ability to listen to different music in every room.
Regional issues:
For now this service is only available in certain countries in Europe:
United Kingdom, Finland, France, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.
The USA still seems to be lacking this service and I am assuming this is from the US music industry or Court systems end.
So despite an April fools joke by this Paul Carr on TechCrunch here:
One that stated that Sonos was indeed coming to the US but at the expense of its European subscribers who would have to be removed in order to fund the move.
Nothing has actually happened since:
The rumours have actually talked about a Facebook collaboration solving the social networks music issue with Mark Zuckerberg being a noted fan of the Spotify system.
Pending deal with Facebook:
DST and Kleiner Perkins have teamed up to offer venture capital to a Spotify and Facebook collaboration which will value Spotify at around $1 billion.
There are however still what is termed “Pendings” and it will be up to the US music industry to approve areas that will allow the deal to come off fully.
Rumours are that this will finally happen and potentially in the next few weeks:
With the US music industry well and truly lost (apart from live sales) we believe that the rumour mill may finally be onto something and that the US music industry has just dragged its heels too long at the cost of revenue by allowing this partnership to marry and be all American too.
P.S – I was UK based when I was on the tables and chairs shaking may ass at 4 in the morning with a Sonos controller in my hand.
Anthony Munns