Rdio, the social music streaming service that lets you listen to songs on your computer and on your phone, has released its mobile playback API. Rdio’s Mobile API gives developers the ability to create mobile apps that can search, access and play all of the artists, songs, albums, playlists, and top charts in Rdio’s catalog of over 8.5 million songs.
“Our Mobile Playback API is one of the first of its kind so we expect that mobile developers will be very eager to integrate Rdio into all sorts of new and innovative iPhone, iPad and Android mobile apps” said Todd Berman, VP of Engineering at Rdio in a press release. In addition to playback functions, the API allows developers to build in access to Rdio community features such as what’s in heavy rotation in your network, following people with similar music taste, and checking out other people’s playlists.
Some of the guidelines for creating apps with the new API include linking to Rdio (with the ability to earn affiliate revenue), the proper use of the name Rdio and its logo, and avoiding brand confusion by not naming the app in such a way that it looks like Rdio built or is endorsing it.
Rdio was founded by Janus Friis with Niklas Zennström, the founders of Skype and Kazaa. Rdio is only available in the US and Canada, and subscriptions start at $4.99/mo for web only access, and $9.99/mo for web and mobile access. Similar services include Slacker and Pandora in the US, and Spotify in the UK. Rdio is the only subscription music service that is available in Canada, making it unique in having worked out the licensing agreements to allow for Canadian and US access.
