Music lovers in Germany can now listen to ad-free, unlimited streaming music provided by Rdio.
Rdio has had its sight on Germany and Australia for expansion since last year. The company also has roots in Brazil and Canada. Skype founders Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis launched Rdio in August 2010.
One of Rdio's top competitors, Spotify, which has been available in the U.S. for six months now, also has international ranks in Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Grooveshark -- with service available in 30 languages -- has a huge global audience including Russia, Japan, India, Turkey, Italy, Brazil and Germany. Sony's Music Unlimited also has a big international with availability in 13 countries, including New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Finland and the U.S. Pandora, however, is only available in the U.S.
Rdio offers a substantial catalog, with more than 12 million songs, and gives U.S. listeners access to free, ad-free music streams. However, there is an undisclosed cap on free listening with this deal. The company chooses not to disclose the number of songs or amount of free music users have each month, but a bar on the home screen dwindles down that users can track.
New listeners in Germany will get a seven-day free trial of Rdio Unlimited with an email address or Facebook account. Pricing and plans available include Rdio Web 4.99 EUR (web only), Rdio Unlimited 9.99 EUR (web and mobile).
Rdio's expansion into German markets is just another step toward further growth. "Rdio’s international expansion is an important milestone in the digital music service’s plans to continue its international expansion across the globe," the company said in a statement.
Spotify is often compared to Rdio as a competitor in the U.S. One project conducted by Wired lists the top 20 artists that are exclusive to each. On Rdio, exclusive artists leading the list include Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen. Other artists that are exclusive to Rdio include The White Stripes, Queen and Charles Mingus.