Spotify Discovers America

The most anticipated Swedish convenience to arrive in the U.S. since Ikea has finally arived on these shores. I'm speaking of Spotify, the much-hyped Stockholm-based streaming music service that, until today, has not been available in the U.S. without the use of Internet trickery, but has 10 million users in Europe.

What makes Spotify, which announced plans to enter the American market in 2009, and is now available in a free advertising-supported version, a $4.99 a month "unlimited" plan and a $9.99 per month "Premium" option which allows you to take its promise of "millions of songs, ready to play instantly" to your iPhone, Droid or what have you, better than, say, Rhapsody, or MOG?

I'm not sure, other than it appears to be extremely fast, comprehensive, and easy to use. At least where old music is concerned: The first thing I searched for when I began my test drive this morning was Love, the Arthur Lee-led Los Angeles psychedelic rock band of the 1960s. (That's Lee, to the left.) That worked out sweetly, with a panoply of original album releases and reissues to instantly choose from, and I had "Alone Again Or" streaming on my Macbook in no time.

Then next test, though, was Washed Out, the nom de chillwave of Perry, Ga. native Ernest Greene, whose hazy, lazy Within and Without came out on SubPop on Tuesday. No dice: lt year's Life of Leisure EP was there, but that was it. I had to go to NPR Music to hear Within and Without, and that was for free. Step it up, Spotify.

Find out more here, and watch a Spotify advertisement for itself below.

Previously: Kanye West's and Jay-Z's SXSW "H.A.M."  Follow In The Mix here