SYDNEY, AUCKLAND, New Zealand and OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Pandora (NYSE: P), the leading internet radio service in the U.S., is now fully live in Australia and New Zealand.  The personalized radio service can now be accessed via smartphone apps for iOS and Android devices, in addition to the Web-based player. 

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Pandora is reinventing how people enjoy music by offering the best personalized radio experience in the world, allowing listeners to easily create stations based on their musical tastes across hundreds of genres.  Personalized stations are powered by "thumbs," which fine-tune each listener's stations, and the Music Genome Project, a richly detailed taxonomy of more than a million tracks, each of which has been manually analysed by a trained musician along hundreds of musical "DNA" traits. This database, more than a decade in the making, represents the music of over 100,000 artists, the majority of whom are independent.

As part of Pandora's commitment to personalization for local listeners, Pandora has curated genre stations of Australian- and New Zealand-specific music across a variety of genres including today's hits, singer-songwriter, roots and reggae dub, indigenous, classic pub rock and more. These genre stations complement Pandora's vast catalog ranging from jazz, blues and classical to pop, punk, reggae, electronica and everything in between.

Pandora Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Tim Westergren said, "After years of preparation and anticipation we are absolutely thrilled to fully launch Pandora internationally in Australia and New Zealand.  Personalized radio is a wonderful medium for listeners to enjoy music they know and discover music they'll love. Now we begin the incredibly exciting process of connecting the 100,000-plus working musicians in the Pandora catalog with millions of new listeners. What an amazing opportunity."

Of Pandora's 175 million registered users in the U.S., more than 115 million have accessed the smartphone apps. Today, more than 75 percent of listening occurs on mobile, making Pandora a global leader in mobile app downloads, usage and engagement. This is especially important in Australia and New Zealand, which are among the world's most mobile-centric societies.  

As Westergren noted, "With the huge number of mobile device users in Australia and New Zealand, we anticipate fast adoption of our free mobile apps that allow people to listen to their personalized stations on the go, wherever they are." 

Why Pandora is unique

Pandora brings simplicity and ease of use to listeners who don't have the time or desire to manually curate their playlists. With just the name of a favorite song or artist, a listener is launched into hours of completely personalized listening, full of songs they love and new songs to discover. Pandora represents more than 400 genres of music and comedy and offers listeners hundreds of curated genre stations to appeal to their inner pop, country, jazz, or dubstep fan.

Westergren elaborated, "Pandora combines the unique power of the Music Genome Project with an incredible trove of listener feedback in the form of over 22 billion 'thumbs' up and down delivered contextually on individual stations. Together these form a personalization engine that combines great predictive capabilities with a steady stream of discovery. This is not only valuable to listeners but also represents an unprecedented opportunity for tens of thousands of talented, emerging artists to find their audiences."

Local team

Pandora has hired a local Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, Jane Huxley, who brings more than 20 years of executive experience in the digital media, technology and consumer spaces.  Most recently, she spent five years at the helm of digital for Fairfax Media where she was responsible for leading the company's product, mobile, video and online business strategies and driving growth in the business through development, acquisition and talent management.

"I feel as though I've stumbled upon music's greatest secret and I can't wait for Australians and New Zealanders to enjoy music in the Pandora way. The service has certainly changed the way people have consumed and enjoyed music in America for the last 12 years, and I'm looking forward to seeing its adoption in Australia and New Zealand," Huxley said. "This version of Pandora has been built specifically for Australians and New Zealanders and we are going to be all about bringing the best music experience of local and international artists as well as supporting local musicians. It's an honor for me to be able to introduce Australians and New Zealanders to Pandora. My focus for the coming year will be to grow the audience for this great new medium as fast as I can."

Launch partnership

Holden will be the first car company in Australia and New Zealand to offer full compatibility with Pandora via its new Holden MyLink infotainment system.

Debuting in the new Barina CDX, Holden MyLink offers in-car smartphone connectivity that allows control of supported information and entertainment apps. In the first quarter of next year, drivers will be able to use Pandora while on the move to stream music, control radio station choices and access track information on a large easy-to-use touch screen.

Holden Technology Director Richard Marshall said MyLink has been developed to enable drivers to enjoy simple and safe connectivity while on the road.

"As consumers become more attached to their smartphones, there's an expectation that cars will function with their device and enable access to more content, so we need to work  on solutions that are safe, enabling drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.

"Holden MyLink has been designed to minimize distraction for the driver and is also customizable by downloading selected apps including Pandora.

"Offering access to Pandora to drivers will ensure they will be able to access a much greater range of music than they could via an iPod, CDs or hard drive while also introducing them to new artists and genres."

Local launch activities

To accompany Pandora's launch in these new markets, the company is holding listener "Town Hall" events in Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney this week, where Tim Westergren and Jane Huxley will meet Pandora users and fans and talk about the local service.

• Auckland, 6:30 p.m. December 10, Viaduct Events Centre
• Melbourne, 6:30 p.m. December 11, Melbourne Town Hall
• Sydney, 6:30 p.m. December 12, The Establishment Ballroom

Links

To check out Pandora and hear the new local genre stations, go to www.pandora.com and sign up for the free service.

To listen to the new genre stations created for Australia and New Zealand visit:

• Australia: www.pandora.com/new/au/music
• New Zealand: www.pandora.com/new/nz/music

To download the mobile apps, go to www.pandora.com/new/au-nz.

The Android and iOS apps are available for download immediately.

ABOUT PANDORA

Pandora (NYSE: P) gives people music and comedy they love anytime, anywhere, through connected devices. Personalized stations launch instantly with the input of a single "seed" - a favorite artist, song or genre. The Music Genome Project^®, a deeply detailed hand-built musical taxonomy, powers the personalization of Pandora^® internet radio by using musicological "DNA" and constant listener feedback to craft personalized stations from a growing collection of hundreds of thousands of recordings. Tens of millions of people turn on Pandora every month to hear music they love.   www.pandora.com

APPENDIX: FULL LIST OF COUNTRY-SPECIFIC GENRE STATIONS

AUSTRALIA

Aussie Today's Hits
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG836
The hottest tracks from the charts featuring a mix of new Pop and Hip Hop from Australia and the U.S. including Timomatic, Kimbra, Guy Sebastian, Havana Brown, Icona Pop, Reece Mastin

Aussie Today's Country
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG838
We'll play the hottest tracks from the charts featuring a mix of new Country from Australia and the U.S. including Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson, Keith Urban, The McClymonts, Beccy Cole, McAlister Kemp

Aussie Today's Pop and Hip Hop
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG6837
The hottest tracks that are on today's charts featuring a mix of new Hip Hop and Pop, including Hilltop Hoods, Bruno Mars, 360, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Taio Cruz

Aussie Alternative Rock
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG839
You'll hear the biggest Australian Alt Rock bands from the 90s and 2000s, including Silverchair, Killing Heidi, Wolfmother, The Vines, The Living End, The Temper Trap

Aussie Country
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG843
We'll play many ARIA Award winning Country artists from the past decades featuring Keith Urban, Anne Kilpatrick, Adam Harvey, John Williamson, Slim Dusty

Aussie Electronic and Dance
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG848
You're in the club with cutting-edge Dance music and the most innovative Electronic DJs, featuring Architecture in Helsinki, Empire of the Sun, Art vs Science, Justice Crew, Cut Copy

Aussie Hip Hop
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG844
From underground to mainstream, you'll hear Australia's most influential rappers and MCs, including Seth Sentry, Hilltop Hoods, Drapht, Tzu, Illy

Aussie Indie Rock
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG840
You'll hear the latest Aussie indie bands that are breaking out, including music from Atlas Genius, Birds of Tokyo, Tame Impala, Boy & Bear, The Lucksmiths

Aussie Indie Singer-Songwriters
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG841
We'll play a mix of Australia's most popular and up-and-coming singer-songwriters, including Angus & Julia Stone, Missy Higgins, Paul Dempsey, Ben Lee, Sarah Blasko

Aussie Classic Pub Rock
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG842
This is the station that plays 70s and 80s Classics from Australia's favorite bands that made Pub Rock famous, including Chisel, AC/DC, The Angels, Midnight Oil, Australian Crawl, Hoodoo Gurus

Aussie Lite Rock
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG846
This station features some of the biggest Adult Contemporary artists of the 90s to today, and many ARIA award winners, including Colin Hay, Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, Husky, Jimmy Barnes, Josh Pyke

Aussie Indigenous
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG847
You'll hear music from contemporary Indigenous artists across a variety of musical styles, featuring Busby Marou, Gurrumul, Archie Roach, Troy Cassar-Daley, Christine Anu, Aaradhna

Aussie 2000s Hottest 100s
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG855
Top songs from the Triple J annual music poll spanning the 2000s decade, including Alex Lloyd, Ben Lee, Eskimo Joe, Grinspoon, Hilltop Hoods, John Butler Trio

Aussie 90s Hottest 100s
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG854
Top songs from the Triple J annual music poll spanning the 90s decade, including Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Powderfinger, Spiderbait, You am I, Jebediah

Aussie 60s and 70s Summer Hits
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG849
Enjoy the biggest classic hits from the 60s and 70s based on the Go Set Magazine and Kent Music Report Charts, featuring The Seekers, The Easybeats, Olivia Newton-John, Helen Reddy, The Bee Gees, Andy Gibb

Aussie 80s Summer Hits
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG850
You'll hear a mix of pop, rock and R&B 80s hits based on the Kent Music Report and ARIA Charts, featuring INXS, Men at Work, The Little River Band, Split Enz, Rick Springfield, Crowded House

Aussie 90s Summer Hits
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG851
What are your favorite songs from the 90s?  Take this station with you where ever you go this Summer, featuring music from John Farnham, Human Nature, Frente!, Kyle Minogue, Savage Garden, Silverchair

Aussie 2000s Summer Hits
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG852
You'll hear the most recent Summer hits featuring biggest Pop, Rock and R&B from the decade based on the ARIA Charts, including Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian, Kylie Minogue, The Veronicas, The Presets

Aussie 80s New Wave
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG853
This was the cutting edge of modern rock from everyone's favorite decade, featuring music from Hunters & Collectors, Midnight Oil, Hoodoo Gurus, Icehouse, The Church, Paul Kelly and the Colored Girls

NEW ZEALAND

NZ Today's Hits
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG858
The hottest tracks from the charts featuring a mix of new Pop, Rock and Hip Hop from New Zealand, Australia and the U.S., including Aaradhna, Kimbra, Avalanche City, Swiss, Annah Mac, Six60

NZ Today's Pop and Hip Hop
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG857
The hottest tracks from the charts featuring a mix of new Hip Hop and Pop from New Zealand, Australia and the U.S., including Swiss, Rihanna, Six60, Ladi6, David Dallas

NZ Today's Country
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG859
The hottest tracks from the charts featuring a mix of new Country from New Zealand and the U.S., including Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson, Keith Urban, The McClymonts, Beccy Cole, McAlsiter Kemp

NZ Electronic and Dance
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG870
You're in the club with cutting-edge Dance music and the most innovative Electronic DJs, featuring Architecture in Helsinki, Empire of the Sun, Art vs Science, Justice Crew, Cut Copy

NZ Today's Hip Hop and R&B
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG856
The hottest tracks that are on today's charts featuring a mix of new Hip Hop and R&B, including Aloe Blacc, Swiss, Nesian Mystik, Ladi6, Che Fu, Scribe

NZ Indie Rock
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG862
You'll hear the latest NZ indie bands that are breaking out, including music from Willy Moon, The Veils, The Phoenix Foundation, The Bats, Cut off Your Hands

NZ Classic Indie Rock
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG864
We'll take you back to the 80s and 90s for music from the early Indie from bands on the Propeller and Flying Nun labels, including Tall Dwarfs, The Clean, DD Smash, The D4, The Dead C

NZ Alternative Rock
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG863
You'll hear some of the most influential Kiwi Alternative Rock bands from the 90s and 2000s, including The Datsuns, Shihad, Evermore, Steriogram, Die! Die! Die!

NZ Reggae, Roots, Dub
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG861
This station features contemporary indigenous artists specializing in Reggae and Roots music, including Fat Freddy's Drop, Katchafire, The Black Seeds, Che Fu, Sola Rosa

NZ Country
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG865
We'll play many award-winning Country artists from the past decades featuring Keith Urban, Anne Kilpatrick, Adam Harvey, John Williamson, Slim Dusty

NZ Singer Songwriters
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG860
We'll play a mix of New Zealand's most popular and up-and-coming singer-songwriters, including Bic Runga, Liam Finn, Gin Wigmore, Lawrence Arabia, Dave Dobbyn

NZ 60s and 70s Summer Hits
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG869
The biggest classic hits of the 60s and 70s based on the Kent Music Report and the RIANZ Charts, featuring The Seekers, The Easybeats, Olivia Newton-John, Helen Reddy, The Bee Gees, Andy Gibb

NZ 80s Summer Hits
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG868
The biggest hits of the 80s based on the Kent Music Report and the RIANZ Charts, featuring INXS, Men at Work, The Little River Band, Split Enz, Rick Springfield, Crowded House

NZ 90s Summer Hits
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG867
The biggest hits of the 90s based on the Kent Music Report and the RIANZ Charts, featuring John Farnham, Human Nature, Frente!, Kyle Minogue, Savage Garden, Silverchair

NZ 2000s Summer Hits
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=miG866
The biggest hits of the 2000s based on the Kent Music Report and the RIANZ Charts, featuring Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian, Kylie Minogue, The Veronicas, The Presets

SOURCE Pandora