EMI and Spotify – Deal or No Deal? – It’s Close

Reports indicate that Spotify is close to signing a deal with EMI. If a contract is signed, it will give the company an additional toehold in their quest to launch in the US. Two weeks ago, the company landed a deal with Sony Music. Taken together, Sony and EMI represent a 37% market share of music sales in the US.

Still, in order to fill the largest catalog hole, Spotify needs to get Universal Music Group onboard, as it has 31 percent of the market. These advancements in the deal making process are promising, but the company still has a long wait ahead.

Between negotiations with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, as well as, prepping a marketing strategy, Spotify still has a ways to go before they will be able to come stateside. Meanwhile, rival services Thumbplay Music, Rdio, MOG, Rhapsody, and soon Slacker Radio will continue to make advancements in the music subscriptions space. If Spotify is allowed to keep their freeium service, it will give them a leg up against their competition, but for how long, we will see.