Table Of Content
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slacker.com
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Impactful Acquisition
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History
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Why should you stream on Slacker Radio?
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Live streaming prowess
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Platform engagement
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Vast content library
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Sublime audio quality
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Design
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Header
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Hero Section
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Body
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Footer
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Content
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Desktop/Mobile experience
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Plans & Pricing
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Suggestions I have for Slacker Radio
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Conclusion
slacker.com
Slacker Radio is one of the most popular music streaming services on the internet. Over the years, it has continued to dominate as one of the most innovative streaming services. With the rise of Spotify, Tidal, Pandora and Apple Music, Slacker keeps up with the competition by regularly updating its platforms to maintain its supremacy. Thoughtfully curated stations and regular updates ensure that the platform remains popular among listeners.
Impactful Acquisition
The rise of Slacker Radio and its contribution to the streaming industry attracted a lot of attention. This exposure led to LiveXLive - a live music streaming company acquiring Slacker Radio. Since the acquisition, LiveXLive has kept the parent name and Slacker is presented as "LiveXLive powered by Slacker."
In the recent past, LiveXLive has been home to some of the most impressive streaming coverage, including exclusive performances from artists such as Chance The Rapper, Rihanna, Radiohead, Katy Perry and Bruce Springsteen. With the acquisition of Slacker Radio, not only is LiveXLive benefiting from Slacker's existing fanbase but it's tapping into a whole new competitive radio and music streaming market.
History
Slacker Radio was founded in 2004 by Celite Milbrandt and Dennis Mudd. Before this venture, Dennis was in-charge of MusicMatch - a brand acquired by Yahoo Music which later became Yahoo! Music Radio. In 2007, Slacker Radio entered into an agreement with four major labels - EMI, Universal, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Warner. Apart from these major deals, the platform also announced its collaboration with thousands of other indie labels.
Why should you stream on Slacker Radio?
With Slacker Radio, you can enjoy all the music and events that you love for free. Almost every key element from the Slacker Radio service has been retained after the acquisition, so you can enjoy hundreds of hand-crafted music stations along with personalized recommendations. You can discover new favorites and even interact with the community.
Live streaming prowess
Slacker Radio was a very large network by itself. Especially with its app presence on Android and iOS platforms. However, when you combine Slacker with LiveXLive, you get the best of both worlds. For instance, you can watch live video streams of concerts and major festivals happening across the world through the LiveXLive app. So, whether it's Ultra, EDC or Coachella, there's a good chance that you'll find them on the network via the LiveXLive app.
Platform engagement
Personally, I really enjoy the engagement aspect of any live stream. Slacker Radio takes this to a whole new level using the website or app. You can create your own stations and playlists - share them with your network and even engage in a live stream with creators. Since the channel has exclusive hosted audio and video shows, you can become a part of the experience. If you're a sports or news lover, you'll surely enjoy the interactive programming format.
Vast content library
Since Slacker powers LiveXLive, you have access to millions of songs and albums on demand. If you subscribe to the premium plan, not only do you get features such as Ad-free listening, 320kbps quality, unlimited skips, but you also get offline-listening features. If you opt for a premium feature (check the pricing section), you can create your own playlists and stations.
Sublime audio quality
If there's one particular feature that made Slacker Radio standout from the rest of the streaming services, it would be the audio quality. Sure, you can't record music like you can with SiriusXM Internet Radio, but the quality on offer is just too amazing. Well-curated playlist and top-quality sound are all you look for in a perfect app apart from its interface and I can admit that LiveXLive made a statement by acquiring Slacker.
Design
I would like to clarify that the LiveXLive platform we will be discussing is the one that has been acquired since Slacker Radio was integrated. This means that it does not have an independent presence. I will be discussing the interface below, but I would like to also shed light on the present platform as opposed to the past.
If you have not recently acquired Slacker Radio, you are likely unaware of it. You would likely search for the term "Slacker" or "Slacker Radio." When you do, you will find the LiveXLive button with "Slacker" appearing as metadata. If you click on it, you will be redirected to their website with the URL specifying the link as "Slacker Redirect."
Header
Before we even see the header section, there is a leaderboard plug to its premium service - A massive turn off. I don't expect any premium services to blatantly pluck their services right above the header as it's quite unappealing from a user-experience perspective. Under the banner, you would find three options - Live Events, Video, My Library towards the left and log in, Sign up Free and a drop-down button towards the right. The drop-down button has four options - "The Daily?", "Shop?", "More?", "Feedback?"
Hero Section
There's not much to talk about in the hero section of the redirected link. There's a headline that reads ?Taking Your Music on the Road? and it has automobile powerhouses such as Tesla, Acura, FCA, Honda, Ford, Lexus and Subaru among many others listed as Integrated Partners.
Body
As you move down towards the body section, you see another premium banner with a CTA that reads "View Our Plans?" Below the banner are a newsletter sign-up section and the mobile app plug on the right.
Footer
You can find six options in the footer section of the website - Get The App?, Subscribe?, Support?, Contact?, Terms? and Privacy?. Under these options, you'll find social media buttons such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Content
Slacker offers a comprehensive selection of music to fit any mood. You can personalize your experience with customizable stations, a recent playlists feature, and favorite genre selections. From top artists like Taylor Swift and Prince to rare gems, the Slacker library has something for everyone.
Apart from music, Slacker Radio has a massive news and sports catalog as well as exclusive Slacker Stories. With ABC News and exclusive Slacker stories, you get much more than ESPN Radio - which is no longer a part of the platform. In addition, you can also watch Star Wars Stories, Bill Murray Stories, and other pop culture stories.
Slacker Radio updated their app and it's still just a branding change. The interface is still panel-driven which offers amazing functionality. Today on Slacker Radio there is the main content area where you'll find the best tunes from Slacker Radio DJ. Apart from that, you can discover new music using the recommendation section. A few of the many recommended channels that caught my attention include Spotlight: Modern Jazz and 70s Rock.
Desktop/Mobile experience
I have tested Slacker Radio in 2016 and 2017 and I can say that it is way ahead of its time. However, with the recent takeover by LiveXLive, I have to say that the platform has not been ruined. Sure, there is branding and a new visual approach but the streaming remains clear and crisp. Audios are hiccup-free and have great sound quality. Therefore, I would like to commend LiveXLive for capitalizing on Slacker Radio's strengths.
Plans & Pricing
Slacker originally offered its independent app and website, but since the LiveXLive takeover it has three-tier pricing - Basic, Plus, and Premium. The LiveXLive Plus plan costs $3.99 whereas the Premium plan is priced at $9.99. The difference between the basic and premium pricing is that you get No Ads, Unlimited Skips, Maximum Audio Quality, Offline Access, and Play on-demand feature. If you opt for a Plus plan, you get these features except offline and Play on-demand.
Suggestions I have for Slacker Radio
Though I am not sour with LiveXLive's takeover, I would like to suggest that the developers work on the pricing. There is no Family Plan as offered by major music streaming services such as Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Tidal. If LiveXLive wants to attract the audience, they need to throw in an affordable family plan for its users.
Conclusion
Slacker Radio has always offered a high-quality audio streaming service and deep customization options. However, after the acquisition by LiveXLive, the company has been able to spread its operation and serve more than just radio streaming under that banner.
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