Though it’s name may turn off the more intrepid among us, Slacker Radio is a strong business boasting around 500,000 paid subscribers. The problem is, Spotify counts four million in that category, and Pandora had 80 million registered users as of last summer. In other words: If Slacker Radio wants to be more than a niche product, it needs to makes some changes to bring it up to speed with the big players.
Evidently, the service is looking to step up as Slash Gear is reporting that it has overhauled its site in an effort to challenge those established entities mentioned earlier. The update includes significant cosmetic changes as well as some tweaks to function, which Slacker Radio hopes will help to update the brand.
Slacker claims it can offer 10 times more streaming music than can Pandora, and asserts that its shuffling system is superior, providing for fewer repeated tracks and better overall variety. The service offers 13 million songs, short of the 20 million Spotify offered as of December 2012, but certainly in the same realm. If the update goes well, Slacker just may belie its title and claim a bigger market share.
Some of the upgrades in question include larger icons and text, a new blue/gray color scheme, and faster, more intuitive navigation.You’ll have to stay tuned to find out if the overhaul stands tall or falls flat, but regardless of what happens, it’s nice to see the likes of eMusic and Slacker Radio strapping on the gloves and competing.
