Previously, UK consumers who wanted to use the streaming service had to be invited - although there were many loopholes to be found.

As of today, UK internet users can register for free directly at spotify.com. The basic streaming service is ad-supported but there is also a premium, ad-free service available. More features will be added to this in the coming months.

"Our user base has grown very quickly in the UK, which is a prioritised market for us. We ...