Music service Rdio unveiled a completely redesigned website, as well as iOS and Android apps on Thursday, emphasizing its expanded free streaming offerings.
Music streaming services typically fall into two models: user-created stations, which play music based on a single genre, artist or song (e.g. Pandora) or subscription-based on-demand streaming where users choose the artists, songs and albums they stream (e.g. Spotify).
Until now, Rdio has fallen pretty squarely into the latter camp, focusing on its on-demand subscription service with its free offerings as more of an afterthought.
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The revamped Rdio highlights its free content more prominently, including additional customized radio stations -- users of the free service are limited to station listening only -- and surfaces the stations more readily.
"We feel there is a gap in the market to pair a first-class stations experience with a first-class on-demand experience," Chris Becherer, Rdio's head of product, told Mashable. "There isn't any service that's nailing both really well. Every listener will have an appetite for both."
The new app also has more social features. Users can get station recommendations based on what their friends and "tastemakers" they follow, such as brands or celebrities, are listening to.
Rdio is also rolling out a new kind of station -- curated stations. Curated stations are created in-house at Rdio and our based around topics like fitness, "classic cocktail party," or "angry breakup." These stations are unique, says Becherer, because each one is created individually and doesn't rely on algorithms like the rest of Rdio's stations.
Rdio's free streaming service first debuted last year under the You FM moniker. Originally a feature for subscribers only, You FM allowed users to create personalized music stations based on their previous listening history, genre or artist.
Subscribers to Rdio's premium service, Rdio Unlimited ($9.99/month), will be able to take advantage of the new features, which are launching on the company's iOS and Android app and on the web. The company is also expanding its free service to 20 countries (its paid service is available in 60 countries).