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Music Services Spotify, Shazam Team Up, But Only in Europe

 & Chloe Albanesius Executive Editor, News

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Shazam

Music service Spotify is teaming up with Shazam to connect Shazam users directly to music on Spotify, though the service is currently only available across the pond.

The "Play in Spotify" feature will be available for iOS and Android users in the UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, Spain, and the Netherlands. It will initially be open to those with the premium Shazam Encore and (Shazam)RED apps, though it will come to the free Shazam app later this quarter.

Shazam is a music discovery service that lets you hold your mobile device in front of a radio or TV in order to find out what's playing. Spotify is a European peer-to-peer music service that has had a lot of positive press, but is not available on any U.S.-based music services. With the Spotify tie-up, users can use Shazam to discover music, and then click the "Play in Spotify" option to listen to full tracks.

"Integrating Spotify into Shazam's applications combines music discovery with one of the world's most popular music streaming services, providing a seamless experience for music fans at the point of inspiration in any location," Andrew Fisher, chief executive of Shazam, said in a statement.

"Now if you hear a great new track you can identify it, listen to it instantly in its entirety and easily add it to your music collection. That's pretty powerful stuff," said Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify.

Spotify got an update in April, when PCMag dubbed it the best music service you can't have. At the D:Dive Into Mobile conference last month, Spotify's Ek said he couldn't commit to a U.S. launch date, despite having said it would be in the states in time for the 2010 holiday season. The delay is reportedly due to Spotify's inability to secure deals with major U.S. labels.

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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