SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rdio, a leading global music streaming service available in 85 countries, today introduces live broadcast radio beginning with nearly 500 stations throughout the United States – making Rdio the best streaming app for integrating every way to enjoy music: algorithmic and expert-curated stations, more than 35 million songs on demand and live broadcast radio.
Rdio is pioneering a new mobile listening experience by bridging live and local radio with a fully interactive streaming service. The new broadcast radio feature provides listeners instant access to their favorite stations and offers advertisers new ways to target their preferred audiences.
When listeners hear a song they like on a live broadcast station, they can quickly and easily mark the song as a favorite, share the song, start a custom station based on the song or view more music by the artist. Paying subscribers to Rdio’s $3.99 and $9.99 plans or those on a free trial can download the song for unlimited listening, add it to a custom playlist, listen to related songs from that artist or recently played songs on that station as often as they want. This combination leverages live radio’s time-tested discovery qualities while giving listeners the freedom and flexibility to explore newly discovered artists in more depth.
In addition to the new live broadcast stations, all Rdio listeners have access to endless algorithmic stations based on artist, song or genre; expert-curated stations to suit any mood or activity; and You FM™, their own personalized station. Paid subscribers also have access to any song on demand. Rdio Select is the only $3.99 monthly subscription service for songs on demand (up to 25 per day), reflecting Rdio’s commitment to being the most customizable streaming platform that accommodates the individual listener’s needs.
“We are committed to providing Rdio customers around the world with easy access to the audio content they want to hear through innovative features that enhance listening,” said Anthony Bay, CEO of Rdio. “Broadcast radio brands and talent continue to be the dominant tastemakers in music, so integrating live broadcast radio into Rdio’s critically acclaimed customer experience is an exciting development that we are thrilled to introduce.”
“Bringing our national platform of stations to Rdio allows us to instantly create broader access for our listeners and new opportunities for advertisers to reach their target audiences,” said Lew Dickey, CEO of Cumulus. “The combination of our premier broadcast assets with Rdio’s acclaimed user experience and music discovery features creates a full-service listening experience that is unparalleled.”
Beyond music, Rdio’s new live broadcast radio programming includes sports content from local stations as well as through Westwood One, the leading national audio content platform. Rdio will roll out new features to enhance sports content on the platform, which includes: 24/7 stations focused on major events such as NCAA March Madness, The Masters Golf Tournament® and The Kentucky Derby®, and on-demand access to popular Westwood One sports shows, including the The Jim Rome Show, Tiki & Tierney and The Doug Gottlieb Show.
The new live radio feature also includes profiles of local stations and DJs that recommend specific playlists and suggest emerging artists. Popular stations that will be featured include Indianapolis’s 93.9 The Beat, LA’s 95.5 KLOS, Nashville’s 95-5 NASH Icon, New York’s NASH FM 94.7, San Francisco’s KFOG and more.
Additional radio stations will launch later this year in the U.S. and in a number of international markets served by Rdio.
Rdio listeners enjoy a unique mix of access to:
- Live radio station broadcasts, including original NASH Country content and top sports programming from Westwood One
- Songs on demand from Rdio’s catalog of more than 35 million songs
- Custom streaming stations algorithmically programmed based on the listener’s choice of song, artist, genre, activity or mood
- Expert-curated stations fine-tuned to specific interest or region
Rdio’s live broadcast Internet radio is fully licensed, developed in partnership with labels and other rights holders and available on all Rdio tiers:
- Rdio – ad-supported streaming radio automatically customized around any song, artist, genre, activity or mood
- Rdio Select – the only $3.99/month service that provides access to ad-free streaming, unlimited skips and 25 on-demand song downloads per day
- Rdio Unlimited – $9.99/month for ad-free streaming, unlimited skips and unlimited songs on demand
- Rdio Unlimited Family – ranging from $14.99/month for two Rdio Unlimited accounts to $29.99/month for five Rdio Unlimited accounts
ABOUT RDIO
Rdio is a leading global music streaming service available in 85 countries worldwide. Rdio’s mission is to provide access to every song, on every device, anywhere in the world instantly, online or offline — tuned to you. Rdio’s critically acclaimed applications combine the best of personal choice, social engagement, expert curation, algorithmic personalization and live broadcast radio. Rdio offers music fans customizable ways to access its catalog of more than 35 million songs, including: free ad-supported streaming stations; a $3.99 subscription featuring a mix of ad-free algorithmic and curated stations and 25 songs a day on demand; and a $9.99 unlimited on-demand subscription. Rdio was founded in August 2010 by Janus Friis, co-creator of Skype, and is headquartered in San Francisco. More information on Rdio and Rdio Select is available at: www.rdio.com and www.rdio.com/select.
ABOUT CUMULUS MEDIA:
Cumulus Media (NASDAQ: CMLS) combines high-quality local programming with iconic, nationally syndicated media, sports and entertainment brands in order to deliver premium choices for listeners, provide substantial reach for advertisers and create opportunities for shareholders. Cumulus provides exclusive content that is fully distributed through approximately 460 owned-and-operated stations in 90 U.S. media markets (including eight of the top 10), more than 8,500 broadcast radio affiliates and numerous digital channels. Cumulus is well positioned in the widening digital audio space through a significant stake in the Rdio digital music service, featuring 35 million songs on demand in addition to custom playlists and exclusive curated channels. Cumulus is also the leading provider of Country music and lifestyle content through its NASH brand. NASH serves over 90,000,000 Country fans through market leading broadcast radio short and long-form programming, NASH/Country Weekly magazine, NASH Live Events, NASH TV and soon to be announced NASH licensed apparel and home goods. For more information, visit www.cumulus.com.
