The days of hacking your way into a Spotify account may be over - the world's current leading music streaming service is at long last expanding into the MENA region. Word around town is that they are planning to launch in Dubai in the second half of 2018, though it will quite possibly be delayed until 2019…so don't plan your launch parties yet.
Apart from the fact that Spotify will suddenly be omnipresent, how will this affect music streaming in the region? As it stands, Beirut-based Anghami is the most popular platform in the Middle East, with over 40 million users, and license agreements with major Arabic record labels. With backing by grand-scale regional companies such as du (UAE telecom), MBC Ventures, and Samena Capital, Anghami isn't exactly a small-fry, but we can't quite say how it will deal with the world's streaming giant impinging on their territory. Spotify has a history of incorporating smaller platforms.
Opportunists take notice - Spotify is hiring for two Dubai-based positions: Senior Editor Middle East and Africa, and Technical Account Manager - Middle East & North Africa. Get on that.
Spotify takes another step in its movement towards world domination, inching towards its goal of being available in every country of this planet. Whether good or bad, it is beyond doubt at this point that streaming services have engulfed the music industry, taking a lot of artists' profits with them. Spotify is spearheading this movement, and doesn't seem to be slowing down.
