Pandora Acquires 'Key Assets' and Employees From Rdio for $75 Million

[MacRumors]

Two of the biggest Apple Music competitors and most notable names in the streaming music industry are joining forces, with Pandora today announcing its $75 million acquisition of "key assets" from Rdio.

According to a press release on the acquisition, Pandora has gained unspecified "technology and intellectual property," and a number of Rdio's employees will be given roles at Pandora. Pandora plans to use Rdio's assets to "offer fans greater control over the music they love," with an expanded Pandora listening experience set to launch in late 2016, depending on licensing. Pandora wants to become the "go-to destination" for wherever and however its fans want to listen to music.

"The Rdio team built an acclaimed product and technology platform that has consistently led innovation in the young streaming industry. I'm pleased that many members of the Rdio team will continue to shape the future of streaming music, applying our tradition of great design and innovative engineering on an even larger stage with Pandora," said Anthony Bay, chief executive officer of Rdio.

Pandora has more than 80 million users and continues to be one of the most popular streaming music services. Pandora offers its users the ability to listen to free, ad-supported radio stations centered around particular artists or songs rather than offering on-demand listening like Apple Music.

Rdio offered a similar ad-supported free listening tier, but it also included Rdio Unlimited, a service that let users listen to any song on demand as is possible with Spotify and Apple Music. With its acquisition of Rdio's assets, Pandora may be angling to expand into the on-demand market to better compete with other streaming services.

The acquisition hinges on Rdio obtaining permission for the transaction from the United States Bankruptcy Court. With approval, Rdio will wind down its Rdio-branded operations in all markets as Pandora is only acquiring assets and not the Rdio brand.

Article Link: Pandora Acquires 'Key Assets' and Employees From Rdio for $75 Million

 

[SSD-GUY]

Competition is always good. Should hopefully mean higher prices now.

 

[Dydegu]

Makes sense. I'm still shocked people use Pandora. Hopefully this will make Apple and Spotify up their game even more.

 

[bdpx]

Competition is always good. Should hopefully mean lower prices.

Except now there's less competition.

 

[pwhitehead]

Round #2 for Taylor Swift, Call your lawyers people!

 

[GiovannyLira]

Except now there's less competition.

Not entirely true. As far as I know, Pandora didn't have on-demand streaming, so they weren't really competing with Apple Music.

 

[farewelwilliams]

already deleted both apps

 

[l00pback]

I'm still shocked people use Pandora.

Why? Pandora fits my needs far better than Apple Music, and Spotify. I really like how Pandora works, and most of the music it gives me. Why should I switch?

 

[iamMacPerson]

I'll just keeping buying CDs and singles from iTunes occasionally.

 

[C DM]

Why? Pandora fits my needs far better than Apple Music, and Spotify. I really like how Pandora works, and most of the music it gives me. Why should I switch?

Because other random people like something else better, of course!

 

[iGeek2014]

Pandora isn't available here in the United Kingdom but I've used Rdio in the past (before my carrier plan came with Spotify Premium included in the line rental) and I did like the app.

 

[topdrawer]

does that mean those employees are coming to oakland?

 

[pjarvi]

Time to replace those Roku 4 remotes or break out the nail polish remover.

 

[naeS1Sean]

iTunes Radio is all I need...

 

[vixster1901]

This is going to be fun!

 

[FasterQuieter]

That's a shame, I always thought Rdio was the best of all the streaming services. Way better than Spotify and Apple Music. Though still not quite good enough to join for me. Too many gaps in the catalogue like all the others.

 

[kemal]

Pandora is OK. When will Apple's Music app leave the alpha stage? Just seem ridiculous to pay to use alpha code.

 

[Bromeo]

Good on Pandora. The "grandfather" of algorithmic streaming services needs to expand and compete. As much as I enjoy Apple Music, I still find Pandora hard to beat on a) ease-of-use, and b) track-to-track flow... i.e. if I create a mellow-sounding station for evening jazz in Pandora, it respects that very well with similar sounding tracks, thanks to the Music Genome Project. I just wish Pandora had as deep a catalog as the other services.

 

[djcerla]

Apple entering the business left basically no oxygen for those services. They've never been profitable, just burning venture capital, now they're deep in the red with no hope to ever be profitable.

This is only the first casualty of a long, painful death path.

 

[Mizouse]

does that mean those employees are coming to oakland?

Well I just found one of my friends that works at rdio will be jobless in 2016 :-/

 

[hobowankenobi]

Hopefully Pandora will add some tools their toolbox.

I subscribe because it is very low cost, and I find new music all the time that I love.

I don't have much want or need to have a specific song on demand. At least not enough to pay for a premium service that provides it, such as Spotify.

 

[rhett7660]

iTunes Radio is all I need...

I am digging it also. Now if I could just get it on my Sonos system I will be happy. Right now it is pretty much my local content or Pandora.

 

[Technarchy]

Makes sense. I'm still shocked people use Pandora. Hopefully this will make Apple and Spotify up their game even more.

Pandora remains my favorite streaming service. I find their algorithms to be most to my liking.

I am a subscriber to Apple Music and Google Play Music, but still prefer Pandora for radio.

 

[\-V-/]

Pandora isn't available here in the United Kingdom but I've used Rdio in the past (before my carrier plan came with Spotify Premium included in the line rental) and I did like the app.

www.nordvpn.com

 

[btrach144]

I thought Pandora was broke because they were hardly making enough to pay for semi worthy music deals with the labels?