Spotify gets app-happy with new platform (video)
Don't say we didn't warn you. As previously reported, today's Spotify "what's next" event in New York City is all about the apps. The Swedish music streaming service's CEO Daniel Ek took the stage today to officially unveiled its new app finder, a platform aimed at bringing users music related info like info like lyrics, events and magazine record reviews. Announced partners include Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Last.fm, Billboard, Pitchfork and more. The company considers the platform the next step in a social strategy that the company began with Facebook integration, a move that brought a vast number of new users to the service.
According to Ek, Spotify is using the platform to add features of its own, as well, including new Facebook-style social stream that lets you see what friends are doing on the service in real-time. The platform will be open to everyone, according to the company, but Spotify will get final approval of all apps before they make their way onto the service. A number of apps, including Rolling Stone and Last.fm will be made available in beta today.%Gallery-140689%
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Spotify: A Perfect Platform for Apps
Spotify, the largest and fastest-growing music service of its kind, today opens up a new world of possibilities with Spotify Platform.
Spotify Platform gives third party developers the opportunity to build innovative, engaging music-based apps. To us, it's the next big step in musical enjoyment.
These free apps integrate beautifully with Spotify, both visually and functionally, and can be accessed and shared by millions of Spotify users through the new App Finder, launching today as a preview at www.spotify.com/us/download/previews/
The first generation of Spotify Apps features 16 partner apps, with 12 available from launch today. We've been lucky to partner with some of the brightest and best brands in the world to create engaging, fun, and social apps.
The 13 global partners launching on the Spotify App Finder include Billboard, Fuse, The Guardian, Last.fm, Moodagent, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Songkick, Soundrop, TuneWiki and We Are Hunted, with Top10 and ShareMyPlaylists apps coming soon. We also have three Nordic partners launching local apps, including Tunigo in Sweden which launches today, Gaffa in Denmark and Dagbladet in Norway, which will be launching local Nordic apps soon.
Our integration with Facebook in September has made more people than ever excited about sharing music again, adding more than 7 million new Spotify users in just over two months. And our users have now created more than 500 million playlists, a number which has doubled since just July.
With Spotify Platform, we want to enable innovation on top of music and add many more layers of music enjoyment. We want DJs to create the best lists, and virtual clubs where people can gather together to hear them, dance, and sing along. We want fans to get closer to their favorite artists, and give great editorial partners and tastemakers a way to recommend music to you.
It's also what Spotify users have been asking for. Now anyone can enjoy great music reviews, buy tickets for gigs, sing along with the lyrics, all inside Spotify. In addition, you can curate the apps you want and make Spotify yours... and the launch apps are just the beginning.
Music is many things to many people. With Spotify Platform and a whole bunch of clever apps, we hope we can all get more out of music than ever before.
Speaking at the conference, Spotify CEO and Founder Daniel Ek commented:
"Once you take a look, you'll see why we believe this is truly the beginning of something game-changing for digital music. We think this will lead to integrations that keep Spotify beautiful and simple, but layer in great musical experiences designed to be social and fun. It's what our users have been asking us for."
Spotify Platform beta goes live later today as a preview, at: www.spotify.com/us/download/previews/. For more information about the apps please visit www.spotify.com/apps. The full consumer rollout will take place later in December.
If you were unable to watch Daniel make this announcement live in New York, you can watch again here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/spotify-event
Password: l0vemus1c (both times)