Spotify launched in India on Wednesday after an injunction filed by Warner Music Group was denied, paving the way for the streaming service to enter a crucial market.
Warner Music Group, one of the three big record labels, had gone to the High Court of Mumbai to prevent Spotify from using its music, claiming in a statement that the service had “falsely asserted a statutory license” in India.
But the court denied the injunction on Tuesday, clearing the way for the launch, said a Spotify spokesperson.
The Spotify service is available for free in India with a premium service priced at Rs119 (€1.47) a month. It is offering its service in multiple languages and has customised Bollywood playlists.
New subscribers
“The mobile internet revolution has led to a rapid rise in the number of connected Indians, making music streaming the preferred way to enjoy music here,” said Amarjit Singh Batra, managing director of Spotify India, in a statement.
Spotify launched in 2008 and has over 207 million active users, but is searching for new subscribers outside its core European and US markets.
With its population of 1.3 billion, India represents one of the biggest markets in the world as more people come online and 4G networks and cheap data spreads. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2019
