Pandora signs new licensing deals, paving way to compete with Spotify

Sep 14, 2016, 00:47
Pandora signs new licensing deals, paving way to compete with Spotify

As much previously reported, Pandora - which now operates a personalised radio service in the US, Australia and New Zealand - is planning to launch a fully on-demand streaming platform later this year, putting it into direct competition with Spotify and Apple Music for the first time.

Pandora is expected to introduce an expanded version of its existing $5-a-month subscription plan as early as this week. It already offers a premium version, which allows users to listen without ads, but the new version will reportedly include the ability to skip more songs and save "several hours worth of" playlists online.

We believe P will launch an enhanced $5 radio-based product in the coming weeks & launch a $10 full on-demand product by the end of the year based on P's commentary about creating a basis to move users up the demand curve.

The deal with more than 30 independent labels and distributors grants Pandora rights to their US catalog and allows it to offer a new version of its streaming service, the company said. It did that by launching a proper music streaming service called SoundCloud Go. He added that Pandora intends to launch "multiple tiers, not just $10 a month, but something lower as well". Google has also doubled down on music streaming with YouTube Red and Google Play Music. On Tuesday, the company announced new licensing deals with Sony Music, Universal Music Group and several independent record labels. However, it's planning to introduce another music service with a full catalog of songs that will also run $10 per month, though customers who use its Echo voice activated speaker system will receive a 50 percent discount on the service.

"Even with the presence of free, you can still get tens of millions to pay for streaming services - and possibly much more - in the event that you get the price much lower", said former digital music executive David Pakman. The insiders claim that both companies are close to completing their deals.

While up until this point, streaming services have largely been priced at approximately $10/month, Amazon and Pandora are teaming up to change that.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
  • Iran promises to down United States  spy aircraft

    Iran promises to down United States spy aircraft

    Iranian officials have previously insisted that they will continue to react when foreign warships are deployed off their coast. On Aug. 30, the head of United States forces in the Middle East was asked to explain Iran's perceived aggressiveness.
    GOP-led panel to question officials on FBI probe of Clinton

    GOP-led panel to question officials on FBI probe of Clinton

    He said it was "fundamentally unfair" to the witnesses and risked the inadvertent release of classified material. He issued the subpoena to Jason Herring, the acting assistant director for congressional affairs.
    Arsene Wenger's Verdict on New Signing Lucas Pérez

    Arsene Wenger's Verdict on New Signing Lucas Pérez

    It was not a particularly positive start, especially for Perez, but judge his performances after six months, not one game. Both players were brought near the end of the transfer window to strengthen the spine of Wenger's team.
  • Bethesda Reveals Sony Won't Allow Fallout 4 Mods on PS4

    This is all thanks to a policy from Sony. "We invested considerable time and effort to make mods possible on Playstation 4". So much so that many a PC gamer prefers playing these games on PC for mod support alone.

    Woe is Alabama: Top-ranked Tide unhappy with performance

    Alabama players are bypassing the grudge match talk, and mostly downplaying the added motivation of the latest rematch Saturday. The Ole Miss Rebels and the Alabama Crimson Tide face off on Saturday in a college football battle of SEC titans.

    UK Education Reforms Spark Debate on Class and the Classroom

    And it's a past which all the evidence shows was hugely damaging for both inequality and social mobility. They require bold decisions and a lot of hard work, and no doubt there will be opposition to overcome.
  • Fan runs onto the field, earns more rushing yards than the Rams

    The 49ers' defence held the Rams to 185 total yards. "Oh they tackle him at the 40-yard line!" "We just made too many mistakes". We were open a lot out there today. "We basically took what they gave us", Gabbert said, which was just about everything".
    Twitter's longer tweets go into effect on September 19th

    Twitter's longer tweets go into effect on September 19th

    Earlier this year, Twitter announced that it was planning to move away from the strict 140-character limit for tweets. Back in May, Twitter revealed they were changing the way their tweet character limit worked.
    Duterte says did not insult Obama, calls UN chief 'fool'

    Duterte says did not insult Obama, calls UN chief 'fool'

    He said that in recent years, the US and Asia had solidified "unprecedented" cooperation that will create more prosperity for their peoples.
  • Judge Faces Inquiry For Controversial Remarks In Rape Case

    Judge Faces Inquiry For Controversial Remarks In Rape Case

    And while conceding that her father could be "a bit old-fashioned " in his thinking, she claimed that he is not a sexist. But his legal-aid practice focused mostly on contractual, bankruptcy and trust law, as well as oil and gas litigation.

    Trial of SS Medic Who Served at Auschwitz Begins in Germany

    He was pushed into Neubrandenburg state court in a wheelchair on Monday, holding a wooden cane in his hand. She died in another camp, at Bergen-Belsen, shortly before it was liberated by the British Army in 1945.
    Gas prices up 4 cents cent to $2.21 a gallon

    Gas prices up 4 cents cent to $2.21 a gallon

    Average prices also declined across Livingston County, with the exception of Caledonia, where prices remained at $2.30 per gallon. A AAA spokesman said gas prices should continue to fall the rest of the year unless something unusual happens.
popular