Like Facebook did, Spotify it has become a platform that hosts third-party applications. Sten Garmark, director of platform, considers that the true value of Spotify is in the combination of the wide musical catalog with these new programs that exploit the possibilities to the maximum.
The creation platform, according to the manager, is based on HTML 5 y javascript, two of the most common web standards. "We have 10 million people testing programs to use our database such as karaoke or piped music, depending on the tastes," he adds.
Garmark recommends using the AppFinder to discover the benefits of these add-ons. Soundrop, for example, allows you to listen to music in 'rooms', as if it were a shared session with other contacts. Tunewiki, in the purest SingStar style, turns the program into karaoke, the lyrics appear in sync with the song.
MoodAgent it's even more personal, adapting the song lists to the user's mood. It is one of the most popular with its "happy quick" modes, which tries to make us instantly happy or "angry", to unleash the inner fury. SpotOn Radio is an iPhone application, built from Spotify. Sixth in popularity in its jurisdiction, Sweden, serves as a formula radio station based on everyone's taste.
The subscription music service has more than 10 million assets, although only three are paid. Spotify does not specify which ones are Premium, with unlimited access for 9,95 euros per month, and which ones are unlimited, for half the price but only available on computers. The number of songs on Spotify continues to grow, they are 16 million, and it already works in 13 countries. It is particularly noteworthy that in Sweden, where this musical store originates from, it is owned by a third of the population. In Europe, it is the second in its category, only behind iTunes, Apple's showcase.
Spotify won the favor of record companies by presenting itself as an interesting alternative to piracy. Since its launch in 2008 it has paid 250 million to rights holders. Only in 2011 they paid 180 million.
Source: El Pais