Rdio Announces Free Music Streaming In Several Countries

Rdio has announced that users in several new countries – nearly its entire list of countries with access to the service – now have access to free music streaming. The users can score up to half a year of free music streaming via the Web, applicable to both current and new users. New users aren't required to provide a payment method when signing up, instead getting immediate access to the service's music library.

Rdio says this move is for people with both ears and hearts, those who enjoy free things and music and the blessed combination of both. The catch? Every month has a cap on the number of free songs that can be streamed. Access to Rdio's 18 million song library is sans advertisements, with the length of the free period being dependent on how many songs the user listens to.

The music can be streamed using either a Web browser or Rdio's desktop app, which is available for both Windows and OS X. The maximum length of the free period is six months. A song meter of sorts is provided so that users can monitor how much of their free listening period they have used on a monthly basis. Those who exceed the limit can subscribe to a for-pay plan for unlimited streaming.

Subscription plans in the United States start at $4.99, which allows for unlimited music streaming via a Web browser. Those willing to shell out a bit more can subscribe to the $9.99 plan, which allows for unlimited music streaming via both Web and mobile, in addition to ability to listen offline. Some of the locations that now have access include Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway.

[via Tech Whack]