After months of speculation, rumours and mostly hoping - Spotify has finally launched in Pakistan. The music streaming service announced on Twitter that it is launching in 80 new markets for the next few days - including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The subscription is free with a Premium ad-free upgrade for Rs 299 per month. Much like the Netflix model, there is also a Premium Family Subscription for Rs 479 with up to six members on the plan. Students can get a Premium subscription for just Rs 149 per month. The streaming service is already offering playlists curated for Pakistani audiences. ‘Loadshedding Longing,’ ‘Pakistani Rock Hits,’ ‘Drama OSTs’ and much more. (Source: Geo News)

Spotify has more than 345 million active listeners, out of which 155 million are Premium subscribers. It provides a personalised listening experience, boasting access to more than 70 million tracks from both new and established artists.

The arrival of Spotify is an exciting development for both artists and musicians. Spotify works with both record labels and independent artists. Each time a song is streamed on the service, an amount of money is paid to the rights holder. This could be invaluable for new artists looking to build an audience and retain control over their music.

On the flipside, what does it mean for local streaming services, such as Patari? Or traditional radio for that matter? With Spotify, artists may have access to a wider, international audience. Listeners will be able to combine their favorite content from all around the world in one playlist on Spotify. One thing is for certain, the music ecosystem in Pakistan just got a whole lot more exciting.

Have you signed up for a Spotify account yet? Share your playlists with us in the Comments section.