SPOTIFY GOES LIVE IN INDIA (UPDATE)

Spotify is open for business in India selling subscriptions for the low, low price of $1.47 a month. Within just a few days of operation, the company confirms, it has amassed 1m+ users (that's combining users of freemium and premium services).

“As Spotify grows, our goal is to bring millions of artists and billions of fans together from every country and background,” said Daniel Ek, Spotify founder and CEO. “India has an incredibly rich music culture and to best serve this market, we’re launching a custom-built experience. Not only will Spotify bring Indian artists to the world, we’ll also bring the world’s music to fans across India. Spotify’s music family just got a whole lot bigger.”

The number of active Internet users in India is estimated at more than 400m, and it is considered the fastest growing market globally for mobile apps. The launch takes Spotify’s country count to 79.

Specific to India, Spotify has offered multiple exclusive features. The music recommendation engine accepts Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu; smartphone users can play every song on demand on the free tier; new playlists include Indiestan, Rap91, Punjabi 101 and several featuring movie music; and new algorithmic playlists track what’s trending in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai.

“Spotify’s arrival in India is a big step forward in our overall global growth strategy,” said Cecilia Qvist, Spotify’s Global Head of Markets. “A fundamental piece of that strategy is staying connected to global culture while allowing room for local adaptation.”