Music streaming service Deezer set for UK launch

Music streaming service Deezer set for UK launch
Deezer set to take on Spotify

Parisian music streaming service Deezer is set to launch in the UK in September, with premium packages starting at £4.99 a month.

The service is huge in France and already boasts 20 million users, as well as 12 genre-based and 30,000 artist-based radio channels.

Deezer will be available on PC and Mac, as well as mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, IP TVs and sound systems such as Sonos and Logitech Squeezebox.

Unlike current streaming darling Spotify, Deezer offers a web-based service on top of its desktop and mobile app, which means you can access your favourite tunes from any internet-enabled device.

Deezer prides itself on its editorial content, too, with a dedicated team providing recommendations and exclusive content.

Disc-overy

Price plans have also been announced for the service. "Discovery mode" is completely free, and lets you listen to radio channels and music on demand in 30-sec clips.

"Premium" costs £4.99 and allows unlimited streaming on PC and Mac in enhanced sound quality, while "Premium+" adds mobile streaming and offline playback for £9.99 a month.

Mark Foster, managing director of Deezer UK, said: "We're extremely excited to be launching Deezer here in the UK. With easy access everywhere music fans will be able to enjoy music anywhere they like, at any time, and be able to share their music with their friends, easily and legally."

Deezer seems to sit somewhere between Spotify's awesomely large music catalogue, and last.fm's incredible recommendation algorithyms.

That said, we've previously criticised Deezer for its tendency to play "horrible French rap music", but a fully-fledged UK launch could put an end to l'hip hop Français.