Spotify hasn't been around in America for two weeks yet, but the music player and streaming service has already ballooned to 70,000 paid subscribers. The number is impressive not just because of its sheer size, but because Spotify has a perfectly respectable version of its software that is available for free.
According to leaked corporate documents, the European import hopes to have 50 million users in America, paid and nonpaid, by the end of its first year. Only time will tell if that sort of popularity is in Spotify's future, but the early numbers are promising. Rhapsody, the leading streaming service in America, has only managed to net 800,000 subscribers after 10 years in business.
For those not yet in the club, (invites are currently required for the free version, but they are relatively easy to come by) Spotify differs from other streaming services by offering a native desktop app and music player that aims to completely replace iTunes. Its streaming library of over 15 million songs can be played for free thanks to advertising. And with a monthly fee of either $5 or $10, you can nix the ads and get a mobile app with offline functionality.
