7digital “not powering the new download offering from Spotify”

Take a long hard look at the image to the right; you won’t be seeing much of it anymore.

We’ve just received this comment from Ben Drury, CEO at 7digital, confirming that 7digital is not powering Spotify’s new bundle deals announced today, nor will it continue to work with Spotify.

The good news is that customers who have already purchased music from 7digital via the Spotify desktop app haven’t lost anything.

You’ll still be able to access your music, in your Digital Locker on 7digital’s website and play them on the Android and BlackBerry apps.

He also called Spotify’s plans to launch it’s own downloads ‘an obvious step’ vis a vis competing with iTunes, and wished Spotify well.

No changes to the ‘Buying Music’ page on Spotify’s site yet and no changes to the desktop
app since we re-installed it earlier today.

Spotify has said in a responce to a comment on its blog that it will be rolling out the new updates
“through an automatic update, gradually over the next few days,” so don’t expect to see anything for a while.

You can read Ben Drury’s statement in full below:

“We have known about Spotify’s plans to launch their own download store for over a year and we wish them well – it’s further evidence that the iTunes monopoly is being broken. It was an obvious step for them given the restriction of the new 5 lifetime plays per track and shows that the freemium model alone is unsustainable. It’s also certainly linked to their forthcoming US launch, which we now expect imminently.

“7digital is not powering the new download offering from Spotify. There will be a minimal impact on 7digital, as we continue to focus on expanding our offering to new customers who want access to music anywhere, anytime, on mobile and connected devices.

“Importantly, customers who have previously purchased tracks from 7digital via the Spotify application will have full access to their tracks through 7digital.com, our mobile site and via our mobile apps for Android and BlackBerry. Previously purchased tracks and albums can be downloaded directly from 7digital.com via a user’s Digital Locker.”