Spotify is reportedly set to make its music-subscription service available in Brazil. The company sent press invitations to an event on May 28 in Sao Paulo.
The invitations by themselves wouldn’t necessarily imply a service expansion in that country, but Spotify was reported to have planned a Brazilian extension last September. That purported launch was postponed.
In the meantime, the company has been running job listings for a strategic partnership manager, a business manager, and legal counsel in a Sao Paulo office. It seems clear that Spotify wants a piece of the Brazilian music-listening market, and the only question is when.
Brazil is an important place to be. In a recent column, Jennifer Lane noted: “Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America and the second largest in the Western Hemisphere. It’s also the seventh largest economy in the world, and growing quickly. Music and culture thrive in Brazil, making it an attractive play for streaming services.”
If Spotify didn’t have its own reason for entering the Brazilian streaming market, it would be spurred by competitors. Last month Rdio signed a partnership with Grupo Bandeirantes, a large media company. In October, Brazil’s largest telecom company, Telefonica, bought a share of subscription service Rhapsody, and the joint entity provides service in Brazil. Muve Music is hooked up with another large Brazilian wireless company. Paris-based Deezer is also available to Brazilian users.