Spotify’s US launch caused such a big splash in the streaming music pond that ripples are still being felt. Many of the pricing barriers placed between users and the streaming services’ vast music libraries are tumbling down in Spotify’s wake: Pandora ditched its listening limit, the previously “Paying customers only” MOG rolled out a free version, and today, Rdio unveiled a new plan to let users get their listening on cash-free.
After months of rumors, whispers, and flat-out teasing by CEO Daniel Elk, Spotify finally hit the U.S. back in July. Even though the streaming music service still a bit green behind the ears in America, Spotify is no rookie; it’s been the proverbial 800 lb. gorilla on the European front for years. Now that you’ve had a couple of months to get used to Spotify’s deep catalog and basic abilities, it’s time to get serious and slip on your Maximum PC power user hat.
More and more streaming music services are launching bigger, more badass and – more importantly – free ad-supported versions these days, whether you’re talking about the gas can-like offering of MOG, Pandora’s ditching of a 40 hour listening limit, or Spotify’s awesome new 6 months free offer (although requiring new users to have a Facebook account flat-out sucks). But are customers really clamoring for free radio? Myxer – itself a popular (and free) mobile music provider – recently polled its listeners, and the results are overwhelming; few people actually pay to listen to tunes online.
In order to make Spotify happen on US shores, the company needed to make a few compromises; namely, listeners could only tune in to the ad-supported free version for 10 hours a month, half as long as the 20 hours a month European listeners got. If you wanted to keep listening after that, you needed to pony up the cash for a $5 or $10 subscription plan. That’s about to change; starting today, new Spotify users can listen to unlimited amounts of ad-supported music for their first six months.
The Internet radio market is getting more cluttered and cut-throat seemingly by the minute these days, with new services popping up left and right and trying to lure PC users with their siren songs. MOG has evolved into a top choice of many listeners, but until now, only paid subscribers could tune in. That changed this morning, when MOG introduced a free version of its service that features, um, a refillable gas tank.
Yet more news on the impending Spotify US launch has surfaced today. This time we’re hearing that the popular music streaming service will be launching soon, possibly even this week, but it will be invite-only to allow the service to scale. Those with preview accounts will have invites to send out, and access will expand from there.
Much beloved music streaming company Pandora is taking quite a beating in just its second day of public trading. After making its IPO yesterday, the stock price started to inch downward, but today that inching became a free fall. The Stock price fell 24% today to a bit over $13 per share. Additionally, it is still slumping in after hours trading.
As we witness what might ultimately become the second coming of the dot-com bubble, Pandora is serving as inspiration for other Internet-related companies aspiring to reap the rewards of an IPO. Pandora shares traded at $16 on Tuesday night, well above most expectations and enough to raise an additional $235 million, valuing the Internet radio company at $2.56 billion. Not bad for an unprofitable company that isn't expected to make a dime until January at the earliest.
According to our favorite people, "sources close to the deal", Facebook has partnered with Spotify to bring its music streaming service to American shores. The service will be integrated with the Facebook website right in the news feed. The real kicker here, the service could launch in as little as two weeks.
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