Spotify now open to UK users

The creators of a Swedish music-streaming service are allowing UK users to join the service without an invitation.

Spotify, which offers tracks from all genres, was previously only available to users who had been invited to listen to the service.

In its blog, the company said: "Up until now we've kept a close eye on controlling our user growth with invitations so that we don't run into any problems and to ensure that everyone gets a really good music experience when they sign up. So far, so good.

"So starting today people in the UK will no longer need an invitation to join Spotify, you can register for our free service directly from our website."

Once signed up, users can create a playlist of songs they want to hear from Spotify's catalogue. They can also create 'collaborative' playlists, which are assigned their own web addresses, and can then be added to by other Spotify listeners.

Users can also search for songs using the search tool.

The tracks are free to listen to because the site uses advertising to pay for the copyrights. However, they cannot be downloaded or stored on a PC.

Those who do not want the interruption of adverts can pay 99p for a day of ad-free listening time. Alternatively, the site offers a monthly £10 advertising-free subscription.

However, the benefits may be short-lived. On its blog, the company said: "We want to make sure that everyone who uses Spotify gets the same fast, uninterrupted experience, so providing a stable service is our priority.

"If growth happens too fast and it starts affecting quality we may have to reinstate the invitation system. Hopefully this won’t happen."