Advertisement

Pandora's new premium service will focus on personalization

Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f310083%2fap_793222067930
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f310083%2fap_793222067930

Pandora just offered an early look at its upcoming on-demand streaming service called Pandora Premium, and it looks like it'll be focusing on personalization to differentiate itself in an increasingly crowded space.

SEE ALSO: The 16 biggest tech stories of 2016

Pandora had previously confirmed it would release its own on-demand service. With the official launch not for at least a few more weeks, CEO Tim Westergren showed off the company's new music service during an event in New York Tuesday, multiple outlets reported.

The upcoming service will take each user's history into account, so that all the songs you have previously liked on Pandora's Internet radio service will impact the recommendations you get on the new Premium tier, Engadget reported

The app will also be able to automatically add songs to a playlist you create using the same Music Genome technology that powers its playlists. 

Similarly, it will automatically begin playing new music when you finish playing an album (a feature Rdio also had) so you don't have to continually search for the next song to play.

Pandora Premium will also, of course, include the on-demand and offline streaming we've come to expect from paid services, though it's unclear how big its music library is. Pandora said earlier this year it was working to cut deals with record labels.

The company hasn't said exactly when the service will launch or how much it will cost but Pandora executives said to expect a launch in the first few months of 2017. As for price, $9.99/month — which has become the industry standard for on-demand streaming — seems likely, though we'll have to wait for the official announcement.