Spotify has warmly embraced its Facebook integration, changing its new user registration to require logging in with a Facebook account. Anyone who wants to join Spotify from now on will have to have a Facebook account to do so. Existing Spotify members will not be affected by the new rules, but even so a very vocal minority is complaining about the move and angry about the deeper implications of Facebook keeping tabs on their listening habits.
The streaming music service undoubtedly wants to keep its users and make them happy. But even in the exceedingly unlikely event that all of its 2 million paying customers quit, from Spotify’s perspective that may not look too bad when compared to the 800 million Facebook users who will now have Spotify – and its advertising – as an integral part of their social network presence.
Some object to the idea of Spotify joining the mainstream behemoth instead of staying independent and hipster-approved. Others don’t want their musical taste and discovery to be broadcast on the social network’s Timeline. Many simply don’t like the idea of Facebook taking over so many people’s overall Internet experience and turning into the next AOL-style walled garden. And some would rather not have all of their online activities Anyone wishing to read the hundreds of complaints about the change can do so at Hacker News, Get Satisfaction and elsewhere.
UPDATE: This story original made reference to a study of Spotify users in the company’s native Sweden. Spotify, research firm Mediavision, and commissioning entity, the Swedish music industry group Musiksverige, have each issued statements that the English-speaking Swedish media seriously misinterpreted the study. Since we relied on those interpretations for our story, we have now removed the relevant passage.
Related links:
Hacker News – http://tinyurl.com/3oblvdw
Get Satisfaction – http://tinyurl.com/5whaqyc
The Next Web – http://tinyurl.com/3wr5tpe
Photo shows Spotify co-founders Martin Lorentzon and Daniel Ek
