Pandora Radio to Increase Subscription Pricing for New Users, Drops Annual Subscription Plan

Pandora Radio has announced changes to its subscription pricing, increasing monthly rates for new users and ending its discounted annual subscription option.

The company says the price hike is due to increased royalty payments to performers.

We’ve been fortunate to be able to offer Pandora One at an affordable price since its debut in 2009 at $36 per year and later with the introduction of a monthly subscription for only $3.99 per month. Over this same period, the costs of delivering this service have grown considerably. For example, the royalty rates Pandora pays to performers via SoundExchange for subscription listening have increased 53% in the last five years and will increase another 9% in 2015.


Pricing Changes:
● Existing Pandora One monthly subscribers that remain active will not experience a price increase at this time and will continue to pay $3.99 per month.
● For new subscribers, the subscription price will change to $4.99 per month starting in May.
● Existing annual subscribers that remain active will migrate to a discounted loyalty price of $3.99 per month at their next renewal period.
● We are ending the annual subscription option.

Beginning this week, annual subscribers will be notified as they are switched to the monthly plan. The new $4.99/month pricing will take effect in May giving new customers a chance to get in at the $3.99/month rate before it goes up.

Pandora says, "Our listeners are our top priority and, while this affects only a small percentage of our listeners (3.3 million subscribers of more than 250 million registered users total), we hope that you understand why we have taken these steps. Our goal is to continue to be your go-to internet radio destination and enable you to hear the music you love wherever and whenever you want."

You can download Pandora Radio from the App Store for free.


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