PANDORA BUYING RDIO: AN ON-DEMAND GAME CHANGER?

Streaming-radio giant Pandora has announced it will acquire key assets of on-demand streamery Rdio for $75 million, subject to approval. The deal, which will bring some Rdio staffers into Pandora, could make the latter company a huge player in the on-demand race.

Pandora had some 81.5m active users last year, with 250m users overall, the vast majority of them in the U.S. Pandora remains the leading mobile music app.

"Whether streaming through radio, on-demand or in-person at live events, Pandora is building the definitive source for fans to discover and celebrate music," said Pandora CEO Brian McAndrews. "Wherever and however fans want to hear music, we intend to be their go-to destination." Rdio CEO Anthony Bay expressed his pleasure that "many memers of the Rdio team will continue to shape the future of streaming music" at Pandora.

The pact is contingent on approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, with which Rdio previously sought protection. The Court will supervise the auction for Rdio's assets, and the service will wind down its own branded efforts.