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Spotify users report problems playing songs

(Image courtesy Spotify, Graphic by The Desk)

It wouldn’t be Friday the 13th unless someone was having a bout of bad luck — and, this time around, it appears to be one of the biggest music streaming services on the Internet.

A widespread outage is affecting some users of the streaming music application Spotify, with customers in the United States and elsewhere reporting they are unable to stream or download songs or podcasts.

The issues started Friday around 8 p.m. Eastern Time (5 p.m. Pacific Time), with Spotify acknowledging that a “minor” glitch affecting the service’s API was affecting the player software used for the application.

The problem appears to be internal, and not part of an issue connected to a third-party or a cyberattack afflicting the company.

Customers are reporting mixed experiences with Spotify, with some saying they’re able to play content on their phones and tablets, but not their website; others are reporting the precise opposite, and some say they’re unable to use the service at all.

This is a developing story — check back here for the latest…

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is the award-winning founder and editor of TheDesk.net, an authoritative voice on broadcast and streaming TV, media and tech. With over ten years of experience, he's a recognized expert in broadcast, streaming, and digital media, with work featured in publications such as StreamTV Insider and Digital Content Next, and past roles at Thomson Reuters and Disney-ABC Television Group.