SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 4, 2014 /CNW/ - Rdio, a leading global music streaming service available in 60 countries, today updates its app to lead with a free Internet radio service and introduces a suite of new features making it even easier for subscribers to listen to music any way they want, from stations to playlists to albums to songs. Rdio's free stations-first offering features 15 times more music than the leading Internet radio service and a wide variety of station types, including algorithmic artist and genre-based stations, human curated stations programmed to fit any mood or activity, personalized stations tuned to each individual listener, and stations based on tastemakers.
Anyone can now instantly enjoy rich, programmed free stations -- no trial or subscription necessary -- and can enjoy all of the new features cross platform. This product update underscores Rdio's commitment to creating the best-in-class streaming Internet radio experience through personalized music discovery, coupled with a best-in- class on-demand subscription offering.
The new features include:
- Home, An evolving and constantly refreshing feed of personalized music stories that surfaces the best of Rdio in a single destination. Stories are built around the listener's music preferences, recent activity from tastemakers and friends, recommendations from Rdio experts, and more.
- Favourites, Expanding listener's collections so they can keep track of everything they love, all in one place.
- Browse, Where Rdio's new curated stations can be explored.
- Trending, See which stations, songs, albums, artists, or playlists are popular among all Rdio music lovers, or toggle to people you follow and make it more personal.
"We are in the very early days of the era of streaming music and there is a huge opportunity to bring this remarkable experience to people around the world," said Anthony Bay, CEO of Rdio. "For the first time in history, it's possible to have access to all of the world's music through a single application – any time and anywhere – tuned to you. We're focused on offering the world's best music experience built around the listener. We now lead with a free stations experience combined with the ability to upgrade to a full on-demand subscription service that offers access to any song, album or playlist, and additional stations features. Internet radio and music subscription have traditionally been seen as two different options -- we believe there are compelling reasons for them to go hand-in-hand as one."
In Canada, Rdio's free stations-first offering is being supported through an innovative marketing, content, and promotion partnership with Shaw Communications Inc. Through this partnership, Shaw has leveraged its extensive resources, including those available through its media subsidiary Shaw Media, to create unique and engaging content experiences. Additionally, Squarespace and BBM (™) have come on to be one of the first advertising partners to utilize Rdio's advertising products.
"As Canada's leading network and content experience company, Shaw is committed to providing access to cutting edge on-demand and on-the-go content to all customers across our footprint," says Jim Little, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Shaw Communications. "Rdio's already exceptional product has been made even better by this updated functionality, and we're confident both users and Shaw Internet customers will come to value this service even more."
Continued Growth Through Global Reach and Strategic Partnerships
The company's commitment to expanding its reach to every device can be seen through strategic API partnerships with brands in connected devices, mobile apps and automotive:
- Roku, a leading streaming entertainment platform, is the first to integrate Rdio's free stations API, making Rdio its featured music partner, and with certain Roku products can offer instant access with the touch of the Rdio button on the Roku remote;
- Shazam users can now connect their Rdio account to get the tracks they discover automatically added to Rdio playlists. Rdio users can also go beyond the preview, playing full tracks from Rdio right in Shazam;
- Soundhound also connects listeners directly with Rdio and enables every song discovered to be played back "in app" and linked to a playlist in Rdio;
- Rdio provides interactive streaming music for all Tesla Model S vehicles in Europe.
About Rdio:
Rdio is a leading global digital streaming music service that is reinventing the way people discover, play, and share music. Our goal is to be the world's most simple, personal, and social music experience. The company aims to provide access to every song, on every device, anywhere in the world, instantly, online or offline. Founded by Janus Friis, co-creator of Skype, in August 2010, Rdio is headquartered in San Francisco. The service is currently available in 60 countries and offers a catalog of over 30 million songs. More information on Rdio is available at: www.rdio.com.
About Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.2 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 19 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY® and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.
SOURCE: Rdio
Vanessa Cohen, Environics Communications, 416-969-2786, [email protected]; Chethan Lakshman, Shaw Communications, 403-930-8448, [email protected]
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