Last week Spotify announced that it was launching a family plan allowing users to add up to four additional family members to their account. This news could not have come at a better time for the Denham family and, I'm sure, for thousands of families across the country.
Up until now we've had to vie for control of our Spotify account. In fact, this happens most weekday mornings as my son logs into Spotify from his smartphone on the way to school.
Like many great rock bands, our unit was under increasing strain, due to our 'artistic differences'. Spotify's family plan might well save us.
Also, like many families, we have a multi-room wireless speaker system which allows us to stream music direct from Spotify into any room in the house. This, combined with Spotify's new plan, makes it possible for each of us to listen to the music we want, when we want and where we want. And, on the rare occasion when we're in agreement, we can all listen to the same music together.
Over recent years we've seen a move away from purchasing music to having access to an always-on supply of all our favourite tracks. Ten years ago we would have bought a CD and shared it between us. Up until now, digital and streamed music has been aimed at the individual and it has been difficult to share it, even with those under the same roof.
The launch of family plans shows that the industry is taking note of how people actually consume music in the home and on the move and is evolving to meet it. And it's not just Spotify who has taken note. Apple and Amazon also recently introduced the sharing of accounts and, last year, Netflix launched a new option that lets users enjoy up to four video streams at once.
Since Spotify's family plan allows each of us to set up our own user profiles under the same account, it means that I will no longer get recommended the latest track by Deadmau5; rather my very own tailored recommendations based on my own personal taste.
All this shows a seismic shift towards meeting the needs of the consumer. And I, for one, couldn't be happier.