It works perfect when you have the Spotify app open. But indeed, when you don't have it installed or open, it's not really as intuitive as it could be!
This isn't a totally open, perfect tool, but Spotify is constrained by the major labels it works with, and I think its good to see them pushing out beyond Facebook.
The only way this would've worked was if it played instantly regardless of whether you have spotify, an account or not. While it plays you might of course at the same time (discretely) mention that you can download the spotify app for a better experience.
This could have been a great way to advertise spotify (in theory replacing an extremely popular use of youtube (that youtube is used as a means to discover music is proof that this is an area just waiting to be disrupted)).
No one will use these play-buttons as their main music source so spotify won't loose anything in providing this. Perhaps even a short commercial after the track have been played if you don't already have the client installed would have been an perfectly fair way of recouping whatever "lost" on providing a free listen.
No. All the button appears to do is open spotify and play the requested song. It does at least sync that playback to the widget though so you can see the song progress and interact with it etc.
No: it doesn't even seem to play back embedded in the page. It launches Spotify and then starts playing the selected track. If you don't have Spotify you're prompted to download it.
If devs/bloggers start using these everywhere it means people like me in Canada (and other countries where Spotify is not available) won't be able to hear any music on the web. Soundcloud wins here for me - they may not have a huge major label catalog, but they don't have the restrictive licensing problems that Spotify has.
If you have a Spotify player opened the user experience of the play button is similar if not better than a Youtube widget (music does not stop if you close your browser).
The experience isn't better, in fact I'd say it's worse since I'm missing the video and I have to have spotify open AND the song has to be available on spotify.
It also makes no sense for the person embedding this to choose this over YouTube.
Makes more sense as an alternative/backup option for those who do have spotify.
By making their content embeddable, Spotify is finnally filling the gap between them and other Flash-based competitors like Youtube/Deezer/SoundCloud. They are really prooving that the old Desktop App vs Browser Apps schism is no longer valid.
Does anyone with a non-premium Spotify account can confirm they still have ads using the embeddable play button ?
Yes I'm thinking it's the way it should work, but having a premium account I can't check how they implemented it, e.g. does the embedded cover is replaced by a ad banner?
This is great, it means I can run a music blog without breaking any laws because without illegally uploaded the tracks to soundcloud / blogger / tumblr.
It also means that you could rigup a Spotify powered muxtape.
Now if only we had a Web API for adding tracks to playlists etc
Since I moved to Belgium I have being using Spotify again. But It's getting annoying the loads of ads per song played. So, I think I will go back to use Grooveshark on a daily basis. I refuse to pay a premium Spotify at the moment.
I suppose It is gonna be the same for this "Spotify Play Button" button, tons of ads and less music.
The Spotify desktop client is running a server and the play button acts as a remote. It's using regular get requests and seems to require a CORS-compatible browser. It's the same as typing a Spotify URI in your address bar. I think that means non premium users will have ads.
41 comments
[ 4.7 ms ] story [ 88.7 ms ] threadI'm used to:
Now, I get:I get to see only "Sorry, we're not available where you are."
http://blog.rdio.com/us/2010/10/now-live-embedding-rdio.html
This isn't a totally open, perfect tool, but Spotify is constrained by the major labels it works with, and I think its good to see them pushing out beyond Facebook.
The only way this would've worked was if it played instantly regardless of whether you have spotify, an account or not. While it plays you might of course at the same time (discretely) mention that you can download the spotify app for a better experience.
This could have been a great way to advertise spotify (in theory replacing an extremely popular use of youtube (that youtube is used as a means to discover music is proof that this is an area just waiting to be disrupted)).
No one will use these play-buttons as their main music source so spotify won't loose anything in providing this. Perhaps even a short commercial after the track have been played if you don't already have the client installed would have been an perfectly fair way of recouping whatever "lost" on providing a free listen.
Almost saddens me they didn't realize this.
1. Click "Play" 2. Get a message saying that the service is not available where I live.
I'm doubtful this will take over the current YouTube/SoundCloud/Grooveshark embeds.
It also makes no sense for the person embedding this to choose this over YouTube.
Makes more sense as an alternative/backup option for those who do have spotify.
It also means that you could rigup a Spotify powered muxtape.
Now if only we had a Web API for adding tracks to playlists etc
I suppose It is gonna be the same for this "Spotify Play Button" button, tons of ads and less music.