The streaming music service moves to the messaging realm with a technologically nimble partner that has its strongest presence in the US, where Spotify's growth has been less prolific than elsewhere in the world. October 30, 2013 5:00 AM PDT (Credit: Tango) Spotify is widening its social and mobile net to the messaging world. Of course, the streaming music service picked the app named Tango. Spotify said it is partnering with messaging app Tango, in actuality, because the company has technology nimble enough to quickly integrate shareable clips of songs in Spotify's catalog. It also doesn't hurt that Tango, which has 160 million registered users and 60 million active monthly ones, has its biggest presence in the US, where Spotify has yet to achieve the kind of reach it enjoys elsewhere in the world, like Sweden. Close to half of all Tango users are in the US. Related stories Spotify to carriers: We don't need to be enemies GTA Online hit with launch problems Spotify creates 'Follow' Web button for more social tracking Spotify expands to new markets as iTunes Radio applies pressure Rhapsody sheds staff, execs amid difficult music market Worldwide, Spotify said it has 24 million active users and 6 million paid subscribers, figures it hasn't updated since very early this year. Tom Hsieh, Spotify's vice president of strategic partnerships, rejected the idea that Spotify is having trouble growing in the US. "US is going great, we're thrilled with the growth, but there's always room for more growth," he told CNET. "Our top three priorities are growth, growth and growth." Spotify wouldn't provide data to support Hsieh's comments about US growth, though its gaping losses despite soaring revenue make its top priorities clear. Tango said the partnership shares revenue between the two parties. Tango users can insert free 30-second clips of any songs from Spotify's catalog into messages and share them; to hear the full song, listeners will be flipped over to Spotify's app, which on mobile devices allows on-demand listening only by a paid subscription. Tango said it will share in revenue generated by subscriptions sparked by shared clips on its platform. Spotify said terms of the deal were confidential. Tango doesn't have an exclusive relationship with Spotify in the messaging app world, but cofounder and Chief Technology Officer Eric Setton said the challenges of integrating onto a messaging platform and securing licensing rights with labels make it a de facto exclusive for the time being. Spotify said it has ambitions to take the Tango partnership further and keep investing in its technology once data about its use start to flow in.
The streaming music service moves to the messaging realm with a technologically nimble partner that has its strongest presence in the US, where Spotify's growth has been less prolific than elsewhere in the world.
Spotify is widening its social and mobile net to the messaging world. Of course, the streaming music service picked the app named Tango.
Spotify said it is partnering with messaging app Tango, in actuality, because the company has technology nimble enough to quickly integrate shareable clips of songs in Spotify's catalog.
It also doesn't hurt that Tango, which has 160 million registered users and 60 million active monthly ones, has its biggest presence in the US, where Spotify has yet to achieve the kind of reach it enjoys elsewhere in the world, like Sweden. Close to half of all Tango users are in the US.
Related stories
- Spotify to carriers: We don't need to be enemies
- GTA Online hit with launch problems
- Spotify creates 'Follow' Web button for more social tracking
- Spotify expands to new markets as iTunes Radio applies pressure
- Rhapsody sheds staff, execs amid difficult music market
Worldwide, Spotify said it has 24 million active users and 6 million paid subscribers, figures it hasn't updated since very early this year.
Tom Hsieh, Spotify's vice president of strategic partnerships, rejected the idea that Spotify is having trouble growing in the US.
"US is going great, we're thrilled with the growth, but there's always room for more growth," he told CNET. "Our top three priorities are growth, growth and growth."
Spotify wouldn't provide data to support Hsieh's comments about US growth, though its gaping losses despite soaring revenue make its top priorities clear.
Tango said the partnership shares revenue between the two parties. Tango users can insert free 30-second clips of any songs from Spotify's catalog into messages and share them; to hear the full song, listeners will be flipped over to Spotify's app, which on mobile devices allows on-demand listening only by a paid subscription. Tango said it will share in revenue generated by subscriptions sparked by shared clips on its platform.
Spotify said terms of the deal were confidential.
Tango doesn't have an exclusive relationship with Spotify in the messaging app world, but cofounder and Chief Technology Officer Eric Setton said the challenges of integrating onto a messaging platform and securing licensing rights with labels make it a de facto exclusive for the time being. Spotify said it has ambitions to take the Tango partnership further and keep investing in its technology once data about its use start to flow in.
