iHeartRadio catching up in music streaming race
The music streaming service says it has more than 60 million registered users, up from 50 million last June, as it takes on competitors like Spotify and Pandora.
Online streaming music service iHeartRadio has racked up 10 million new users in little more than half a year, boosting its position in a competitive marketplace.
The service, run by terrestrial radio giant iHeartMedia, announced on Friday that it now has 60 million users, up from 50 million last June. The latest number doesn't factor in the volume of people who listen to iHeartRadio's 2,000 live radio stations without registering. Overall, the iHeartRadio Network, which offers both live and on-demand streaming of iHeartMedia's stations, has captured more than 90 million unique visitors.
As such, iHeartRadio touted that it continues to grow faster than any other radio or digital music service -- even faster than Facebook.
iHeartRadio is playing in a competitive field against such rivals as Pandora and Spotify. Pandora dominates with more than 200 million registered users and more than 76 million active listeners. Spotify has 15 million paid subscribers and 60 million active users. Comparisons are difficult since Pandora and Spotify have a paid option, while iHeartRadio is free. Spotify also requires its users to sign up in order to use its website or application.
In June 2014, when iHeartRadio hit 50 million users, iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman said that "if you look at the marketplace, there's the four of us (iHeart, Pandora, Apple's iTunes, and Spotify) and then everybody else. At 50 million, we're clearly in that league."
Beyond offering specific radio stations for music, news and talk radio, iHeartRadio's free, ad-based online service lets you create your own customized stations based on a specific song or artist. The service said it offers access to 800,000 artists and 20 million songs through which you can fashion your own station. iHeartRadio is available at its website as well as mobile apps for iOS and Android users, which have been downloaded more than 500 million times, according to the company.
iHeartRadio has also been busy expanding its service into new areas. At the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, the company announced that its service will be integrated into Sony's PlayStations consoles, TiVo's digital video recording devices and Dish's Hopper set-top box. It will also be available via an in-car infotainment system made by car system manufacturer Clarion.