You hear it when you go out: when you ride the bus, when you shop at a store, or sometimes while walking on the street. There’s no doubt about it: radio is everywhere. Since its inception, radio has changed the way we act: how we communicate, how we get information, and how we pass the time. Nowadays, most people can’t do without it. Whether it is jamming to tunes in the car or casual listening at home, SiriusXM has you covered in both aspects.

With its recent merge with Pandora, an ad-supported music streaming and discovery app, it opens avenues for SiriusXM to reach new heights. But how, exactly?

Before we get into the details, first let’s look at what SiriusXM already has to offer.

What It Does Best vs. SoundCloud

With over 70 million subscribers, there is no denying that SiriusXM is one of the leaders of audio entertainment in the US. This platform is the ultimate hub for auto entertainment. Its content ranges from dedicated music channels, news radio outlets, and live sports commentary for all major professional sports. Its venture into Google and Apple play stores has also made strides in the content it can offer. With the SiriusXM app, subscribers are no longer limited to audio entertainment. SiriusXM now provides on-demand video content for PC as well as for mobile use. Even though you can buy SoundCloud plays on your SoundCloud account, SiriusXM is a new avenue.

Most major automakers also roll out SiriusXM in newer vehicles. It can easily be integrated into your car radio with a few steps. Up-to-minute updates on traffic and weather conditions make it indispensable for navigation. In addition, these features are no longer limited to automobile owners. SiriusXM also provides data information services to aircraft and boats through SiriusXM Aviation and SiriusXM Marine.

What makes SiriusXM work is because of its satellite radio feature; it doesn’t rely on cell towers to get coverage. This is helpful in areas where there is limited reception, as it allows you to keep listening to your favorite tunes on the go. Where AM and FM radio fails, SiriusXM is there.

What’s New with SoundCloud Plays

Since acquiring Pandora in a 3.5 billion-dollar deal in 2019, SiriusXM has slowly geared towards online streaming. Although the downloadable app allowed for on-demand streaming, the radio company needed a strong online presence. This online presence would allow them to compete with major streaming platforms in Apple and Spotify. It’s a win-win for both companies. The merge brings over new customers from the music streaming app, which opens opportunities for more subscribers to SiriusXM. The same applies to Pandora, who despite having 70 million users, only had 5.6 million paid subscribers. Now, SiriusXM and Pandora combined reach over 100 million people each month.

Pandora does things differently than the average internet radio. While other apps might suggest related artists, tracks, and genres to your music, Pandora focuses on delivering tracks that have similar musical structures to your favorites. This creates a unique, immersive listening experience for every listener without relying on trends, charts, or user ratings. What makes this possible is through their Music Genome Project. It uses user feedback along with track analysis to create the best possible radio station that is tailored specifically for the user.

What Pandora brings to the table is its online streaming reach. By combining its algorithm and SiriusXM’s library, Pandora NOW was born. The new service allows users to interact with their music by skipping through tracks they don’t like. Users can also contribute user feedback with either a thumbs up or thumbs down feature. This enables SiriusXM to take services to the next level, with Pandora NOW becoming available to current SiriusXM subscribers.

What’s Next for SiriusXM Plays

In addition, SiriusXM is also looking to invest in more content creation. It also has plans to acquire podcast platforms Simplecast and Stitcher.

Simplecast is a podcast publishing platform. It enables users to upload their own podcasts to lead streaming platforms like Spotify, Google Podcasts with one click. The platform also tracks real-time stats like podcasts downloads, unique listeners, location frequency, and what device they’re using, whether PC or mobile. Simplecast makes it easier for podcast creators to manage multiple shows, all from the comfort of one account. It also provides dedicated web players for easy integration into websites like WordPress and social media platforms like Facebook.

Stitcher, on the other hand, is a podcast streaming platform with under 100,000+ unique podcasts under its belt. Available across multiple platforms, the app allows for on-demand listening to its wide selection, from music channels to news podcasts. Stitcher is also perfect for on-the-road listening. This is possible due to its integration to over 50 car models and cars with Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto. It’s also Alexa-compatible for Amazon Echo users.

Providing podcast makers a bigger platform to broadcast content outside of the online platforms will work two-ways. First is by providing more content for SiriusXM subscribers and a wider audience reach for content creators. Podcasts are, after all, audio content at the end of the day. Additionally, gearing towards a streaming-centered approach requires the incorporation of podcasts to offer a better overall experience for listeners and creators alike.

Aside from the two podcast platforms, SiriusXM is also looking into AdsWizz, a digital audio marketing company. In combination with Pandora, SiriusXM plans to maximize revenues by inserting advertisements in between transitions (for example, when switching music stations, or liking/disliking tracks).

Should You Use SiriusXM?

By the day, SiriusXM is giving users more reason to subscribe. Now backed by Pandora’s online streaming service, it has expanded its reach from automobile owners to the casual listener. And in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic where travel is restricted and in-car commuting is limited, it is a crucial move to establish a brand presence online or risk getting left behind.

But with its vast selection of stations, extensive music library, manufacturer partnerships, SiriusXM is far from lagging behind. Now with its integration of Pandora to further optimize user listening experience, it has expanded its capabilities. Regardless of what entertainment you’re looking for, whether its tunes for your mood or updates on the NFL, SiriusXM has it for you. Start using SiriusXM today!

Date: December 9, 2020 / Categories: New Stuff, / Author: Joy P