SiriusXM, with its subsidiary Pandora, has partnered with TikTok to offer a variety of curated content for users. Starting this summer, SiriusXM will host a full-time TikTok music radio station where listeners have access to the trending songs that are redefining pop culture.
“We are excited to collaborate with TikTok to create new content that brings the vibrancy of the leading social networking service to life on live radio and our streaming platforms,” said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer of SiriusXM, in a SiriusXM press release
These three services joining forces is the perfect example of the ever-evolving subscription industry. Here’s everything you need to know about SiriusXM’s and Pandora’s newest partnership with TikTok.
Initiatives From the Partnership
This partnership is an all-in investment to offer SiriusXM listeners an exclusive audio experience. Listeners can now easily access TikTok songs in a centralized location plus get access to new exclusive audio content.
The company’s full-time music channel will be called “TikTok Radio” and will be hosted by TikTok’s creators, tastemakers, and DJs. It will be a kind of “For You” page that listeners can tune in to and continue to enjoy their favorite artist’s material.
On Pandora’s side of the aisle, the music streaming service is launching a series of exclusive playlists, starting with “TikTok Tastemakers.” Creators from the social networking service will take listeners through their favorite songs and include exclusive commentary. Bella Poarch, a TikToker who holds the record for the most viewed video on the platform and has nearly 70 million followers, is one of the many artists to be featured.
The second series is “TikTok Hits Playlist,” where the platform’s trending music will stream for listeners. This initiative provides an easier way for listeners to directly access their favorite TikTok songs.
“TikTok is redefining the way that fans discover music and artists, while enabling a new form of musical engagement and creative expression,” said Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music at TikTok, in the SiriusXM press release.
Obermann added, “We are excited to work with SiriusXM on TikTok Radio and to bring TikTok creators to Pandora to make the trends, music, and creative influences that are playing such a defining role in modern culture even more accessible.”
SiriusXM & Pandora’s Growth & Partnership Impact
SiriusXM experienced a profitable year in 2020. The company gained almost 70,000 new subscribers in Q1, reaching over 30 million total subscribers. It also reached almost $2 billion in revenue in Q1.
Pandora ended Q1 2020 with over 6 million self-pay subscribers and more than $240 million in ad revenue, according to the SiriusXM earnings report. Launched in 2000, Pandora was once the number one music streaming service in the country. But after competitors like Apple Music and Spotify hit the market, Pandora slowly started to lose its grip.
Last month, Spotify reported almost 360 million active users with almost 160 million subscribers while Pandora reported less than 7 million subscribers in SiriusXM’s Q1 2021 earnings report.
The partnership with TikTok also opens the doors for SiriusXM and Pandora to attract a new, younger market. SiriusXM in particular is both a satellite and online radio. Typically, people between the ages of 46 and 55 listen to the radio on a weekly basis. More than 46% of SiriusXM listeners are over the age of 45 and in contrast, the majority of Pandora’s users are between the ages of 25 and 34.
Nearly 50% of TikTok users are between the ages of 10 and 29. This age group includes part of the millennial generation and all of Gen Z — the latter having significant influence with brands and viral trends. TikTok has 100 million American users, providing the two streaming services with an incredible opportunity to increase and diversify their subscriber base.
TikTok has fueled music trends even to the top of the Billboard music charts. The platform is set to reach more than 1 billion active users worldwide by the end of this year. TikTok’s partnership with SiriusXM and Pandora will strengthen its connection between music fans and the app, while providing its younger audience with more accessible content.
These initiatives are an innovative way for all included to expand their content portfolios and reach new customers. TikTok is a rising trend and will continue to grow. Making its content more accessible will allow SiriusXM and Pandora to benefit from TikTok’s diverse library.
Key Takeaways:
- SiriusXM and Pandora are partnering with TikTok to launch a series of playlists and channels.
- Three initiatives include “TikTok Radio,” “TikTok Tastemakers,” and “TikTok Hits Playlist.”
- The partnership with TikTok opens the doors for SiriusXM and Pandora to attract a new, younger market.
- TikTok has 100 million American users and is set to reach more than 1 billion worldwide by the end of 2021.
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