Pandora announces May audience metrics

0

PandoraListener hours for Pandora during the month of May 2014 were 1.73 billion, an increase of 28% from 1.35 billion during the same period last year. Share of total U.S. radio listening for Pandora in May 2014 was 9.13%, an increase from 7.29% at the same time last year. Active listeners were 77.0 million at the end of May 2014, an increase of 9% from 70.8 million during the same time period last year.


As previously noted on 3/6, this marks the final monthly metrics release, covering audience metrics for May. The company’s standard practice of providing listener metrics on a quarterly basis in its periodic filings and earnings calls will continue unchanged.

Seeking Alpha notes: “In its last monthly audience report (quarterly numbers will still be given), Pandora states it had 77M active listeners in May, up from 76M in April and 70.8M a year ago. However, listener hours only rose 1.7% M/M (in spite of an extra day) to 1.73B. On a Y/Y basis, they rose 28%.

Pandora’s share of total U.S. radio listening (influenced by seasonality) was 9.13%, down from 9.28% in April and up from 7.29% a year ago.

The numbers come amid worries about the Apple/Beats deal, an expected iTunes Radio revamp, and Amazon’s reported plans to launch a streaming music service bundled with Prime subscriptions.

To help advertisers make informed buying decisions, Pandora began monthly disclosure of information regarding users and usage in March 2012. The company has also expressed public support for respected third parties to initiate measurement activities across all forms of radio. Given recent changes in the marketplace, including Triton Digital’s Webcast Metrics Local recently achieving Media Rating Council Accreditation, Pandora says it believes advertisers can now access the necessary tools to make accurate side-by-side comparisons.