Rdio heading for UK, as it signs licensing agreement
Web music service Rdio has inked a licensing agreement with a UK music rights group, hinting it'll hit Blighty very soon indeed.
Good news music fans -- it looks like Rdio will be hitting these shores very soon. While the digital music subscription service hasn't officially announced any plans to expand to the UK, it has just signed a deal with PRS For Music.
PRS For Music is a not-for-profit organisation that represents the rights of 85,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in the UK. It makes sure that the musicians get paid in full when their work is played, performed or reproduced. While the deal doesn't confirm Rdio will launch in the UK, it does suggest that the service is expanding, and has the UK in its sights.
Launched in 2010 by the founder of Skype, Rdio is currently available in the US, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal and Denmark. The service offers 15 million tracks from the major record labels as well as thousands of independents. It's a streaming service not a million miles away from Spotify -- all you need is a web browser and an account, and you're ready to listen.
The pricing is also similar to Spotify's, charging €4.99 a month for web-only listening, and €9.99 a month for unlimited access (including offline) on all devices, including mobiles and tablets.
Robert Ashcroft, VP of strategic and international partnerships at Rdio said: "Rdio's service is more good news for the UK's digital music users and creators alike. Rdio's entry into the market provides more choice for consumers and is a vote of confidence in the growing licensed digital sector."
There's no word on when it'll launch in the UK, but I'm expecting an official announcement in the coming weeks. Can it compete with the might of Spotify? What does it need to do differently? Let me know in the comments below, or over on our Facebook page.