It used to require a facebook account initially (at least here in Germany, right after the launch). I had to create a one in order to open a Spotify account. The option to register using an e-mail address was added later and I migrated my account when this was done.

Are you sure it required one? It may have made it very easy to sign up with FB and very hard to sign up with email, but email has always been an option (in the U.S.)

edit: thanks for the replies clearing this up.

Yes, because I really didn't want an FB account (closed it since). There were even doubts about the legality of Spotify requiring an FB account in Germany: http://www.noz.de/artikel/61551360/datenschuetzer-kritisiere...

It did require one. They updated it some time after, but it was a common complaint.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/spotify-defends-new-facebook-re...

Yes. There was a period of time in which it was absolutely not possible to sign up without using Facebook. This was a few years ago though.

Yes, in the US at least for about the first month it didn't require facebook, and then they switched that.

They stopped requiring facebook logins a while back but to be honest it left a bad taste in my mouth. Glad I didn't bother with subscribing.

Same in Australia. I never joined at the time because I don't use FB, and haven't checked back since.

It never required a Facebook account in Spain

Email sign up has been possible in New Zealand for a long time, years I think - billing is though Australia so I suspect we hang off them somehow. I haven't got a Facebook account.