The Internet streaming music service Spotify had been hoping for a U.S. launch by the end of 2010, but it doesn’t look like the company will be able to hit its self imposed deadline. The company still plans to make the jump across the Atlantic to U.S. shores, although exactly when that might happen is up in the air.
Spotify CEO and co-founder Daniel Ek claimed the delays are because of negotiations with record labels, according to Yahoo! News.
Spotify: Still not in the U.S.
The company announced in October that it was planning on launching in the U.S. by the end of the year. Currently the Internet streaming music service is available in the U.K. and Europe.
The Spotify team has been facing resistance in the U.S. from record labels and potentially from Apple. Insiders claim the Cupertino-based company has been telling record labels executives that Spotify’s ad-based service could eat into already weak CD music sales.
Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. has already indicated he isn’t overly interested in working with Spotify, too. “Free streaming services are clearly not net positive for the industry,” he said. “As far as Warner Music is concerned [they] will not be licensed.”
Spotify offers 20 hours of music streaming a month for free and is ad supported. A monthly subscription allows unlimited ad-free streaming.
Mr. Ek indicated on Tuesday that Spotify will cost U.S. customers US$10 a month, although he didn’t say if a free ad supported option would be available as well.
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