It’s a number they’ve never really been able to prove, or that any analyst covering the company has ever challenged them on, but Pandora now claims to be “at an all-time high of more than 10% share of U.S. radio listening.” The company says it reaches more than 80 million active users and engagement is now at approximately 22 hours a month per user, “the highest of any U.S. mobile app and more than double the next-closest music service.”
Pandora CEO Brian McAndrews says the service now extends to over a hundred million mobile phones, over 1,700 consumer electronic devices, and in more than 190 car models through native in-dash integrations. McAndrews says consumer electronics activations increased 38% to 32 million, while related listening hours grew 26% year-over-year. And, he says auto activations increased 64% to 15.5 million with listening hours increasing 55% year-over-year. “This is driving engagement: for example, an analysis of auto listeners’ hours before and after showed using an in-car Pandora integration increased listening by over 24%. We are growing and investing where the consumption model is heading, fueling future growth for years to come for Pandora.”
If Pandora is successful at posturing and snarling at radio, it is up to radio to respond – or not.
Maybe Pandora will become a 4 billion-dollar enterprise – or not.
Maybe Pandora will find interests who are willing to buy it out – or not.
Radio may still have opportunities to “up” its own strategies – or not.
I’m sorry to disagree; Pandora has ZERO percent of radio listening. They may have 10% of all streaming listening, but Pandora is not radio. I can’t turn my radio on and hear Pandora, no matter how hard I try. I can be anywhere and simply turn on the radio, but for Pandora, I must somehow connect to the internet. Pandora’s like radio, but it’s not radio.