Pandora gets closer to offering songs on-demand

New York Post August 19, 2016

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Pandora is wading deeper into the music streaming wars.

The internet radio service plans to add two on-demand subscription tiers in addition to its free service, according to a report.

Pandora is close to deals with the major record labels that will allow it to roll out the new options in the US and abroad, although the final terms haven’t been hammered out, WSJ.com reported.

Pandora’s popular free tier has about 4 million listeners who can select artists and “stations” but not specific songs. Spotify, which has emerged as the dominant streaming music service in the US, offers both free and subscription on-demand options.

Pandora wants to offer a $10-a-month service with access to unlimited number of songs. In addition, it wants to build out its existing $5 a month ad-free tier with new capabilities, such as the ability to skip songs and listen to music offline, WSJ.com reported.

The latter option is generating interest among music execs, who think it can tap a new group of users willing to pay $5 for more control over their listening experience — but not $10.

(I almost exclusively listen to Pandora these days. I certainly don't listen to radio anymore. Even talk radio. I get those cut on Youtube where I can summaries of the best of the week from some of my favorite talkers. Pandora is great to listen to your favorites but the only problem is you don't get to hear new stuff. I used to get some of the new stuff off of American Idol but that is over now so I am clueless. So I have to use the "Latest Hits" station I set up on Pandora to hear new stuff. It is a long time away from the days were I used to go to J&R Music on Nassau Street to get the latest albums that I had heard on WNEW or WABC. What a long strange trip it has been.)