Spotify launches Premium Early Access in India, Badshah and Harrdy Sandhu among first releases

Music streaming app Spotify has launched Premium Early Access in India, allowing Premium subscribers to listen to select new music releases up to three days before they become available to everyone else. The feature will be available from August 28. As announced by the company, Universal Music Group (UMG) will be the first label to launch its ‘Hear It First’ campaign under the new framework. After the early access window ends, the releases will be available to all Spotify listeners. Spotify said no music will be permanently held back.Among the first local releases is Badshah and Divya Kumar's new single ‘Chimna’, which will be available to Premium subscribers on August 28. The song will be available to all listeners on August 31.Harrdy Sandhu's new single ‘Stuck On You’ is also part of the first wave of releases. It will be available to Premium subscribers from August 28 and to all listeners from August 31.Spotify said more local and international artists will be added to the programme in the coming weeks.Premium Early Access will be available to users on Spotify Premium Standard, Premium Platinum and Premium Student plans in India. Eligible releases will appear automatically in users' feeds, with no action required from subscribers.Spotify Free users will be able to listen to every Premium Early Access release once the early access window ends. The company said users who want earlier access can subscribe to a Premium plan.The feature will only apply to releases where artists and their labels have collaborated with Spotify to participate in the programme. Spotify said not all new releases will have an early access window.Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.