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Pandora, the ever-popular internet radio service, is now available for Windows Phone 8 devices. It took a while for the app to reach Microsoft’s new platform, but nonetheless, WP8 users can get in on the music-streaming action right now. Plus, Pandora is making their WP8 app ad-free until 2014, as well as tacking on a couple of exclusive features.

Both Pandora and Microsoft know that you’ve been waiting a long time for a Windows Phone 8 version of the app to come out, and they even announced plans to bring Pandora to WP8 during the platform’s launch event, so as a gift for your patience, they’re giving WP8 users an ad-free experience until the end of this year. This is a feature that only normally comes to premium subscribers of the service.

Furthermore, the app comes with Live Tile support, meaning that you can check out what artist and song is playing right from the home screen, and users can simply tap on the tile to go directly to the app. Microsoft and Pandora claim this as the app’s exclusive features, so if you were expecting anything groundbreaking in the actual app (besides the ad-free experience), you may be disappointed.

Along with the ad-free experience, however, users will also be able to play unlimited music. Pandora recently stuck a 40-hour monthly limit on its service for free users, but Windows Phone 8 users will be able to listen to all of the music that their hearts desire until the end of the year, after which you can spring for the monthly or yearly plans ($3.99 monthly or $36 yearly).

Pandora arrives on Windows Phone 8, ad-free until 2014 is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

YouTube is rumored to be gearing up to launch a subscription-based music streaming service. The video-streaming juggernaut is hoping to become a fully-fledged media juggernaut in the future it seems. The service is said to have a free model which allows users to listen to all the music they’d like, but with ads popping up from time to time. It’s no different than when ads pop-up before/while you’re watching your favorite YouTube videos. A paid subscription would of course remove the ads for an uninterrupted music-listening experience.

This YouTube music streaming rumor comes only a couple of weeks after it was rumored that Google is planning its own music streaming service. We’re unsure whether or not the Google rumors and the YouTube rumors are the same thing, but according to CNN, Google and YouTube may be setting up their own separate, music streaming services that offer the same features. YouTube is said to have its own negotiating team and own operating unit for its upcoming music streaming service.

Even without the music streaming service, the company is the most widely used medium for listening to music. Most of the top videos viewed on YouTube are music videos, and over 64% of teenagers preferred using YouTube to listen to music compared to any other music platform. Companies are also realizing that music streaming is the new future for gaining revenue. Warner Music Group received 25% of its digital revenue from music streaming services alone.

If Google and YouTube do launch their own subscription-based music streaming services, they have a lot of competition. They’re entering a saturated market. Spotify, Rdio, Pandora and many others already dominate the music streaming space, so Google may have a hard time getting its foot in the door. But considering it’s Google, the name itself may be enough to steal away users from the other services.

A YouTube spokesperson commented on this rumor saying, “While we don’t comment on rumor or speculation, there are some content creators that think they would benefit from a subscription revenue stream in addition to ads, so we’re looking at that.” Considering its YouTube and the amount of influence it has, its most likely going to follow through with a subscription music service.

[via CNN Money]

YouTube tipped to launch its own music streaming service is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Spotify, the ever-popular music streaming service, is apparently in talks with major music labels to negotiate reductions in royalty fees in order to offer free access to the service’s mobile offerings. Currently, users have to pay $9.99 per month in order to access Spotify on their smartphones or tablets.

The Verge reports that “several music industry sources” are saying that Spotify is already in negotiations with Warner Music about lowering fees and changing rights to its music, and Spotify is said to begin similar negotiations with Sony and Universal soon. If such negotiations are successful, Spotify would see a growth in profits, as well as the ability to give more users access to free content.

Spotify’s free offering only gives users access to the desktop app with advertisements, but paying the monthly $9.99 fee will get rid of ads and allow users to access their Spotify library on their mobile devices. Even though, Spotify boasts 20 million users, 5 million of which are paying subscribers, the company is currently breaking even financially.

While free access to Spotify’s mobile offerings would certainly be fantastic, it’s hard to say if the negotiations with the music labels will go well. Streaming music services have a tense relationship with music labels and even individual artists. Several major artists, including Coldplay and Adele, have refused to allow their music to be streamed by Spotify because of extremely low royalty fees and rights to the music.

[via The Verge]

Spotify reportedly aiming at free access for mobile users is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Some big news for lovers of indie music with commitment issues. eMusic’s CEO Adam Klein announced this morning that his service will be dumping its subscription requirement, letting customers download music from the site without being forced to buy into a monthly fee. The new model, which puts the site in line with most of its musical competition, kicks off today. There’s a press release detailing the move after the break, if you’re into executive quotes.

Filed under: Internet, Software

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Source: eMusic

The popular internet radio service iHeartRadio has announced that they have reached the 20-million-user mark. Furthermore, they claim that their app has been downloaded over 135 million times. Clear Channel, the company that owns and operates iHeartRadio, says that they now have almost 240 million monthly listeners.

While 20 million listeners registered on iHeartRadio seems like a lot, Clear Channel says that users don’t need an account to use the service, meaning that millions more people are using the service. iHeartRadio was launched 13 months ago at the inaugural iHeartRadio Music Festival back in September 2011.

Brian Lakamp, President of Digital for Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, says that “iHeartRadio has experienced unprecedented growth,” and the service “truly creates unmatched promotional power that is unique to Clear Channel and allows [them] to be wherever [their] listeners are with the products and services they expect.”

iHeartRadio provides instant access to over 1,500 live broadcast and digital-only radio stations across the US from 150 cities, and by signing up for an account, you can get access to user-created Custom Stations inspired by a variety of favorite artists and songs. The iHeartRadio App is available across multiple platforms including on the web, and on iOS and Android devices.

iHeartRadio surpasses 20 million users, sees over 135 million downloads is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.