Streaming music service Spotify hopes to launch in the US in the third or fourth quarter of this year.
European streaming music service Spotify is hoping to cross the Atlantic this side of Christmas, according to co-founder Daniel Ek.
Thousands of Americans are already accessing Spotify using proxy servers, such has been the hype around its launch in Europe.
However, Ek tells the Observer that the company is hiring US staff and aiming for a launch in the "third or fourth quarter", assuming it can sign licences with the key record labels and publishers.
Mobile will be a key part of Spotify's push into the US. The company has shown off an Android application, and is also working on versions for iPhone and Nokia handsets.
However, Spotify won't be ditching its word-of-mouth promotional strategy when it launches in the US. "Don't expect a fancy marketing campaign," says Ek. "The money we could have spent on marketing is better spent on developing a better product."
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