(Image source: Spotify)

BY EVAN THOMAS

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Do you use Spotify? Do you want an excuse to use it more? The streaming company announced yesterday it’s stacking applications onto its music services.

Any developer can build an application and submit it for approval, much like Apple’s ecosystem. Apps from Rolling Stone, last.fm and others are available now, to Spotify’s paid and unpaid subscribers.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek talked to Bloomberg about what users can do with the new apps.

“What that really means is there’s an opportunity now for outside developers to create and layer into new experiences on top of Spotify. So now there’s a simple way for you to buy concert tickets, see the lyrics of a song exactly as you’re playing it. There’s really going to be a ton of innovation on top of music.”

A ton of innovation-- on top of a ton of music. The Next Web points out--

“Users have 15 million songs to enjoy on Spotify, which would take you nearly 100 years to listen to from beginning to end. And just when you thought you’d had enough- Spotify is adding 20,000 new tracks every single day.”

The Wall Street Journal’s Ethan Smith thinks maybe apps are a good way to sort through that vast library.

“The problem is, you know, 15 million songs, go! What do you want to listen to? So they’re adding theses different kinds of music discovery tools. .... It’s a way to try to differentiate themselves as more and more people create online music services."

But CNET says an application layer may be missing the point of music.

“How much more can whiz-bang software improve our interaction with music? Don't most of us just want our music to be inexpensive, and be easy to access? Music listening is passive. Don't we just want to hit the play button and have our songs available while we study, wash the dishes, or surf the Web?”

But All Things Digital is giving Spotify a gold star for the move. Saying from a business standpoint, it’s win-win.

“...it lets Spotify improve its product without having to do the work itself. Instead, outsiders add cool new features that keep current users happy. They may also generate a bit of extra revenue while they’re at it, and they’ll share some of that with Ek.”

That revenue soared more than 400% last year-- but Spotify isn’t making money yet. Licensing and payroll costs dinged the company for more than $40 million in 2010.