After months of rumours suggesting that Google would get in to bed with Spotify to launch a music streaming service, it appears that gossip has been put paid to by rumours being spread in respected business rag Forbes, indicating that Facebook is set to launch a music player in partnership with Spotify. According to Forbes, the service could launch as quickly as in two weeks, with the speculation that “the integrated service is currently going through testing, but when launched, Facebook users will see a Spotify icon appear on the left side of their newsfeed, along with the usual icons for photos and events.
Clicking on the Spotify icon will install the service on their desktop in the background, and also allow users play from Spotify’s library of millions of songs through Facebook. The service will include a function that lets Facebook users listen to music simultaneously with their friends over the social network, one of the sources said.” Spotify, however, proclaims to know nothing of the deal with Facebook, with a spokesperson saying: “We have a Facebook integration. We’re continuously working with them to make that as good as it can be. But that’s the extent of our relationship.” Spotify’s co-founder Daniel Ek wasn’t making any comments.
The news comes as Spotify confirms that it has inked deals with two of the major labels – EMI and Sony, to stream their music, although Warner Music and Universal are yet to come to the party. The service, which will be known as either “Facebook Music” or “Spotify on Facebook,” will only be available to users in countries in which Spotify has a presence, thereby excluding US and Australian Facebook users.
