• The Post, Friday, January 14, 2011 2:29 PM

We'll believe it when we hear it, but The Post is reporting that Spotify is finally ready to make its U.S. debut. "After trying to crack the U.S. market for more than a year, Spotify is close to a deal with one major music company in the U.S. and has gained the support of at least one other," writes The Post, citing sources. If it does reach the states, the popular European music service could represent a legitimate challenge to streaming music rivals, and the entire digital music business.

According to The Post, the Luxembourg-based company is days away from signing a deal with Sony Music. "Spotify is launching in the U.S., for sure," one music executive swears. "They've got the deals now." Spotify originally hoped to make its U.S. debut in 2009, then moved the launch date to the end of last year. Spotify users can enjoy free, ad-supported accounts, or pay $10 a month for an ad-free "all-you-can-eat service," as The Post explains. U.S. record companies, however, have long expressed reservations about the model, and its likely impact on the broader industry.

Read the whole story at The Post »