'Piracy weapon' to expand into the US

Spotify has announced plans to expand into the US‚ which has pleased those fighting against online piracy.

The music streaming service that has been described as a key weapon in the fight against piracy is looking to expand into the United States.

Spotify is planning to launch a version of its online jukebox in America later this year following its success in the UK.

The legal service allows users to stream an unlimited amount of music over the internet after downloading a simple music player.

Provided users are willing to listen to short audio advertisements between songs, they can access as much music as they like for free.

Those who wish to bypass the ads can pay for a daily, weekly or monthly subscription for an ad-free version.

Spotify has received praise from its UK users and many those in the music industry who believe it plays an important role in combating illegal downloading.

Indeed, research group Music Ally found recently that as the availability of free music streaming services like Spotify has grown, piracy levels have fallen.

Its survey revealed that in January this year, some 17 per cent of web users shared music illegally, compared to 22 per cent in December 2007.

Following widespread success in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, Stockholm-based Spotify is now looking to take on the US market.

It is hoped that the service will help to tackle the intellectual property issue across the pond in the same way that it is deemed to have done in the UK and other European nations.

According to the Telegraph, Microsoft is poised to launch a rival to Spotify this month, delivering another alternative to illegal downloading.