It's official: Spotify now available to listeners in Pakistan for free

• Audio-streaming service Spotify officially launches in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on Feb 23
• Company says the service will be available for free, along with an ad-free premium subscription for Rs299 per month
• Premium Family subscription plan is available for Rs479 per month for up to six family members, while students can subscribe for as low as Rs149 per month
• Spotify Premium DUO, available for Rs390 per month, is a subscription plan for two people living at the same home address

Spotify, the world’s most popular audio-streaming subscription service, officially launched in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka on February 23, 2021.

With a worldwide community of more than 345 million monthly active listeners, including 155 million Premium subscribers, Spotify says it will offer a personalised listening experience to people, comprising local and international artists and more than 70 million tracks.

The Spotify service is available for free or with an upgrade to Spotify Premium, a subscription service that allows users to enjoy music without ad interruptions.

Read more: Spotify is finally coming to Pakistan

Users can upgrade to Spotify Premium for the ultimate Spotify experience for Rs299 per month. The Premium Family subscription plan is available for Rs479 per month for up to six family members living under one roof, an official press release issued by the company said.

The new Spotify Premium DUO, available for Rs390 per month, is a subscription plan for two people living at the same home address, which includes Duo Mix, a regularly updated playlist made just for the two subscribers to discover audio they both love and enjoy together. 

Spotify also has a premium for students for as low as Rs149 per month. Direct carrier billing payment options are also available through Telenor and Zong.

Spotify comes to Pakistan with an unrivalled mix of features and the freedom to play across a wide range of devices and app integrations. Music fans will also enjoy Spotify’s personalised music recommendations, which will help them to enjoy, discover and share new music from both local and international artists.

“We are incredibly excited about the opportunity to bring together creators and listeners around the world, says Alex Norström, Chief Freemium Business Officer of Spotify.

"As we’ve expanded our international reach over the years, we’ve connected over 8 million artists with listeners across nearly every continent, putting Spotify firmly at the heart of the global audio economy. Launching in these new markets is a key next step to fulfilling our ongoing commitment to building a truly borderless audio ecosystem.”

Playlists made for Pakistan

The new playlists offer expertly curated and regularly updated music by Spotify’s team of local music experts, across a range of popular genres for any mood or moment, including Hot Hits Pakistan, Pakistani Rock Hits, Pakistani Indie 101, Drama OSTs, Loadshedding Longing and more, the statement said.

Unique music recommendation and discovery features

A major feature of the Spotify service is its personalisation, which allows fans to find the music they already love with ease, and also to help them discover new music and artists to love, based on their taste and listening patterns. When a new user joins Spotify, they are guided through a ‘Taste Onboarding’ process, which helps Spotify quickly customize recommendations to their music tastes.

Spotify’s music recommendation engine allows local listeners to enjoy personalised discovery features including Daily Mix (up to six individual playlists combining your favourite tracks with new songs we think you’ll love), Release Radar (a personalised playlist of new music based on the artists you follow and listen to most, updated every Friday) and Discover Weekly (a playlist based on your unique listening habits).

What else is Spotify offering?

Mood and genre hubs: Head to Browse and choose from a wide range of hubs including Workout, Chill, Party, Focus, Gaming, Sleep, Dinner, Kids and many more.

Play everywhere: Download the Spotify app on mobile, laptop and tablet.

Listen everywhere: Listeners have the freedom to engage with Spotify across a wide range of devices and app integrations with Instagram, Facebook, Samsung mobile & TV, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Chromecast, Google Maps, Fitbit, and more.

Offline listening for Premium users: Simply download your music to your mobile device or desktop when you’re online to enjoy while you’re offline.

- High audio quality for Premium users – up to 320 kbps.

- Spotify For Artists: The platform offers tools that help artists, managers, and labels to track real-time statistics for new releases, understand their audience, connect more deeply with fans, and run their business.

Over the coming days, listeners in more countries across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and Latin America will have instant access to a world of audio, and the most talented creators will be empowered to turn their passion into a profession.

The Spotify app is available to download for free or with an upgrade to Spotify Premium. To enjoy music the way you want it, download the Spotify app today via the Android or iOS app store or by heading to www.spotify.com/free.