Spotify who? We7 to launch first in Ireland next week

We7, the UK music streaming service, is launching in Ireland next Monday, reports MusicWeek and we can now confirm.

This is interesting not only because it’s the first time We7 has ventured beyond its native shores but also because Spotify, which until very recently was seen as a direct rival, has yet to launch in said country. The much hyped and well funded company is currently available in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the UK, France, Spain and the Netherlands but, as noted, not Ireland. (Or the U.S. for that matter.)

In terms of what We7 will offer: despite pivoting somewhat recently to emphasise its more economical ‘Internet Radio Plus’ model – more akin to Pandora in the U.S. – over its on-demand Spotify-esque offering, the UK startup will still give Irish customers the latter option, along with the ability to upgrade to a Premium (ad-free) version for €4.99 a month or the Premium+ version (with iPhone and Android support) for €9.99 a month.

Interestingly, MusicWeek also notes at least one local competitor: Irish ISP Eircom’s MusicHub service, which launched at the end of last year.