Spotify India launch: Subscription starts Rs 119 a month, but you can listen for free too

Spotify, one of the world’s most popular music streaming services, is now available in India. Indianexpress.com had earlier reported how we had spotted the app on new Samsung Galaxy S10 devices which will become available in India early March. The launch comes after months of speculation about a possible India entry.

While earlier the Spotify app was not available for download in India, now the same can be downloaded on both iOS and Android devices. Earlier, Indian users streamed Spotify using VPN services.

A Spotify India website is also live as of Wednesday morning. As per the site, after a month of free trial, users will be able to get Spotify Premium starting Rs 119 per month. There is also a Rs 13 per day option with no commitment to a long term subscription.

But there is the free option too with personalised playlists and recommendations, access to the full catalogue across all devices, ability to create and share playlists as well as the option for background play. On Premium, users will have access to offline as well as ad-free music, high quality streaming at 320kbps. After the free 30-day Spotify Premium trials, subscribers can choose to credit/debit cards or e-wallets.

Commenting on the launch, Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek said in a release: “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 Spotify India service has a good mix of Bollywood and regional content with good playlists in languages like Malayalam. In January Spotify had announced the “addition of an expanded catalog from T-Series,” with over 1,60,000 songs in Hindi and regional languages. Amarjit Singh Batra, Managing Director, Spotify India, said in the release that the mobile internet revolution has led to a rapid rise in the number of connected Indians, “making music streaming the preferred way to enjoy music here.”

We can expect some exclusive launches also soon, as Spotify will need to make a mark for itself in a very competitive music streaming market. In India, along with local players like Saavn and Gaana, Apple Music and Amazon Prime Music have been able to make a mark in recent times and get people to pay for subscriptions.

Spotify’s challenge will be to offer something unique in comparison to these existing services.

Globally, Spotify has 207 million active users in 79 markets of which 96 million are paid. The company claims around 30,000 new tracks added each day, adding up to over 3 billion playlist options.

One Plus, Anheuser-Busch InBev and GoUSAwill be exclusive advertising launch partners in India, there is no official word on Samsung.