Spotify Announcements

[Rorey]

We’ve got some news for all you Spotify Free users. From today, for those of you who’ve been free users for more than 6 months, you can play your favorite songs as many times as you like, for up to ten hours a month.

No more 5 play-per-song limit for all markets except France. Just unparalleled access to every one of Spotify’s 16 million songs at any time, and all for free.

Of course, for new users who’ve been using Spotify for less than 6 months, this change won’t affect you. You can already listen to whatever music you want, for as long as you like.

For our more seasoned users, you’ll still get 10 hours of free music every single month. Any tracks that you’d lost access to will once again be available for your listening pleasure.

If you're in France, we understand this may feel a bit unfair. Our agreements with the labels differ from market to market. We’re working hard to bring these improvements to the entire service, so watch this space.

We’re proud to have made the best music service on the planet even better. As always, thanks for listening.

[Update - 19.3.2013]

We’ve got some mighty fine news for all Spotify Free users in the U.K. From today, there’s no more 5 play-per-song limit. You can listen to your favourite songs as many times as you like.

That’s right, no more greyed-out songs. The tracks that you couldn’t listen to before will once again be available for your listening pleasure.

Of course, if you’ve been using Spotify for less than 6 months, this change won’t affect you. You can already listen to whatever you want, as often as you like.

[hpguru Community Veteran]

I am happy to say that I am a Premium user since December 2010!

[chumppi]

Do these changes apply to the mobile side of Spotify too? I was pleasantly suprised that I could once again use Spotify without a subscription and it works great on my desktop but for mobile, the 5-play limit still applies?

[Meredith]

Hi Chumppi- You've always been able to use Spotify on your desktop without a subscription. There's just a 10 hour limit for Free users after the first 6 months.

The difference is now you can play tracks as many times as you'd like within your 10 hours. No more cap after 5 plays.

As far as the mobile goes, a Premium subscription is still needed. If you'd like to upgrade just head over to your subscription page.

[Counta]

As a frequent user of Spotify, I thank you for the removal of the 5 play limit. There are probably thousands of people who feel the same, but don't have the time (or are simply to lazy) to thank you for getting rid of this highly irritable limit. So on the behalf of about ALL the people I know; thanks.

Why did you get the limit in the first place? Was it just to (force)push us into Spotify Premium?

[Sam]

Counta - Thanks for those kind words. The limit certainly wasn't to push users towards a subscription. It was initially needed so we could offer the free service in the long run. We really are incredibly pleased the limit has been lifted for so many.

[SteveBrammer]

What Sam means, but is too afraid to say for fear of rocking the boat in the fractious relationship between the record labels and Spotify, is that the record labels made them do it. Specifically the record labels in the US ahead of Spotify's launch there, which is ironic since US users have never been subjected to these limits and still aren't subjected to the 10 hour limit imposed on European users of the free service.

[princessgleek]

Does anyone know why the Uk is stuck with the 5 play limit

[jvanderb]

princessgleek:  That is referred to in the first post on this topic.  Unfortunately, licensing differs from region to region, so at this time, Spotify is unable to lift that restriction.  As soon as a new agreement can be reached between the record labels and Spotify, I'm sure they will lift that restriction as soon as they can.  But for now, the licensing agreements in place with the labels will not allow Spotify to lift that restriction.

[princessgleek]

oh I know the reason, what I don't know is why licencing is so strict in the UK compared to other countries, why would a label allow people to do one thing in the US and not in the UK, the Uk are in the dark ages when it comes to streaming music