Controversial download service making ripples Denmark

The news that a popular Swedish web service will soon be available in Denmark has come as music to the ears of download fans. Despite attempts by a composers’ union to block it, one of the world’s most popular online music stores, Spotify, will soon give Danish surfers access to more than eight million tracks for as little as 75 kroner (USD 12) a month.

Different from the Telenor Wimp and TDC Play systems already available in Denmark, Spotify will allow customers to legally download and stream songs from the internet in whatever way they wish, as the Swedish company is not tied to a single telecom. So far, the tool has been kept out of Denmark by Koda, the Danish association of composers, even though it has been widely available in other Nordic countries.

But now, any music fan that sets up a Paypal account can access the service by circumventing the strict Danish copyright regulations. The news of the loophole was not welcomed by Koda, with spokesperson Birgitte T Henriksen telling public broadcaster DR, “It is of course a legal service, but it isn’t legal here in Denmark.”

Koda does not oppose the company’s paid service, but takes issue with a free downloads offer which is funded through advertisements. According to the Copenhagen Post, Henriksen said they have been in dialogue with Spotify over whether or not the free service will be rolled out across Denmark.

Subscribers must have an address in Sweden and a credit card which has not previously been registered with Paypal to sign up to Spotify. Music fans in Denmark can, however, submit any Swedish address found on the internet, according to DR.