Pandora purchases Rdio to become global streaming giant

Today Pandora announced that it was acquiring the assets of subscription service Rdio. Amidst whispers about Rdio’s failing future, the interest at the heart of this deal centres around Pandora's plans for the subscription industry.

Pandora currently operates in three territories (the US, Australia and New Zealand), but in acquiring Rdio so too will Pandora gain access to the 100 markets it currently operates in.

Earlier this year, Pandora acquired Next Big Sound (for a cool $50 million) as well as Ticketfly in October (for $450 million). With Rdio in the mix at $75 million, this $0.6 billion investment into a centralised streaming business, not to mention the milestone direct deal with Sony/ATV publishing, positions Pandora as a real contender for the ever-growing streaming industry.

Watch this space.