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Spotify is following the current trend among Web2.0 companies to lure new customers in by offering online services on an invite-only basis with the launch of the music streaming site in the US later today.

It's also a good way of building up a list of email addresses that Spotify can hoard for marketing purposes down the line.

But rather than just open the service to all-comers in that market, the company instead is going down the invite-only approach, presumably in the hope of creating lots of buzz around the product, which will soon be competing with Apple's iCloud effort.

"The award-winning digital music service loved by millions of Europeans will become available tomorrow morning in the United States by invitation and subscription," said Spotify in a canned statement.

It's expected that the US version of the service will offer the same free and payment options as the European-flavoured, DRM-wrapped, music-streaming product.

The ad-supported free service has a 20-hours monthly limit, then there's the unlimited and premium options at the business end, where Spotify will be pushing for customers to sign-up to subscriptions.

One final, very important note: one-time pop princess Britney Spears can't wait.

"So excited Spotify is FINALLY coming to the US tomorrow! Getting my playlists ready now... - Brit," she tweeted yesterday.

Oh, and Mark Zuckerberg may well be preparing to turn the amp up to 11 later today, too. ®

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