Rdio makes a move and a major change

Overnight it rolled out over 20 countries with a further 60 to come on-board.

Rdio is just four years old and until now has been charging for online subs to hear their vast library of tunes.

Now it has turned off the “paywall” if you like, and to get you hooked, is serving free music and naturally commercials are, or will be in the mix.

Here, Rdio is under the Nova Entertainment banner.

Recently SCA shut up shop with Songl, their version of a music subscription platform. Songl has morphed into Songl Solutions with SCA’s focus leaning more towards OMNY.

But the changes with Rdio go a little further.

Last year Rdio added the ability to create stations around artists, songs, albums, playlists or genres.

But now with Rdio, you will be “turning on the radio” and picking from a bunch of new RADIO Stations where Rdio will control and serve the content. They have also introduced YOU FM, which also works out what you have liked and listened too, and builds it's station sound around that info. Almost Pandora’esque in approach if you like.

OR as in the past with Rdio, you can have complete control of what you hear on demand.   So you get the best of both worlds.

“No streaming music service has successfully combined these listening experiences. Music fans have been forced to go to different services..”  writes Chris Becherer Rdio's SVP of Product

“They will also be able to enjoy hundreds of brand new curated stations, handcrafted by our in-house team of experts to fit any mood or activity.”

So for Australia, does that mean Nova Entertainment can now launch a bunch of custom Rdio Station brands under their deal? 

In the US, major radio network Cumulus Media took a 15% stake in Rdio 12 months ago, and is now leveraging and providing content to the platform.

But there are still Bigger Elephants in the room. We covered off Part One a few weeks back looking at Pandora. Part II will enter the “room” soon.