7digital.com Signs International Strategic Collaboration with Spotify

• 7digital.com To Provide High Quality MP3 Downloads For All International Versions of Spotify
• Collaboration allows Spotify users to purchase high quality MP3 and FLAC downloads via 7digital.com
• Deeply integrated links allow Spotify users to listen and buy with ease from any matched song or album
• Future developments to include purchasing and downloading from within Spotify 

London, UK, 30th March 09 - 7digital, the home of MP3 downloads, and music streaming service Spotify today announce an international strategic collaboration that will make high quality MP3 downloads available directly through the Spotify application.

Links to 7digital.com’s digital music store will be integrated within all international versions of the Spotify application beginning with UK, France, Spain and Germany. It will allow users to easily purchase high quality 320kbps MP3 downloads from the six million strong catalogue of tracks available through 7digital.com. A selection of FLAC downloads will also be available through the partnership.

Users can purchase MP3 tracks and albums by right clicking on streamed tracks and selecting the ‘Buy From 7digital.com’ option.

In the future, as well as track and album downloads, users will be able to purchase playlists that have been created within Spotify through 7digital.com. This allows music fans to create their own bespoke digital compilation albums and purchase them at a discounted price. Future developments will see closer integration between the two services, including the addition of ‘one click’ downloads.

The integration with Spotify follows a similar partnership with open source media player Songbird and has been achieved through use of 7digital’s application programming interface (API). The API allows partners to integrate with 7digital.com’s catalogue and technology and earn commission on tracks sold.

Ben Drury, CEO 7digital comments, “The collaboration with Spotify is exactly what we were aiming to achieve when we opened our API to outside developers. This is the first stage of a partnership that will create a more integrated download experience for 7digital and Spotify customers. We’re already looking to build on the existing integration and, ultimately, allow users to listen and buy MP3s securely with one or two clicks.”

Daniel Ek, CEO and founder of Spotify comments, “Spotify is a great way to listen to and discover music and, through integration with 7digital.com, our users can now take their digital music with them wherever they go. We’re committed to developing the world’s largest streaming music catalogue and 7digital.com’s huge catalogue of high quality MP3 downloads makes them an ideal partner for us.” 

The download option will initially be available in the UK and Germany, France, Italy and Spain with Sweden, Norway and Finland following in a few weeks’ time.