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 streaming music services on the internet. It has been around for many years and continues to be one of the most innovative streaming services. The platform has many thoughtful curated stations and regular updates, which ensure that it stays ahead of the competition.
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 recent times, 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 by Celite Milbrandt and Dennis Mudd in 2004. Celite was previously in charge of MusicMatch, which Yahoo Music acquired in 2007. 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 get to listen to all of your favorite music without paying a dime. Almost everything from the old slacker radio has been kept, so you can enjoy hundreds of hand-crafted music stations with personalized recommendations. You can find new favorites and even interact with the community.
Live streaming prowess
Slacker Radio is a gigantic network with its app presence on Android and iOS platforms. However, when you club 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. So, whether it's Ultra, EDC or Coachella, chances are that you might find them on the network via the LiveXLive app.
Platform engagement
Personally, I love the engagement on any live stream. Slacker Radio takes this to a whole new level with its website and app. Using the website or app, you can create your own stations and playlist - 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 fan of sport or news, you'll surely enjoy the interactive programming format.
Vast content library
Since Slacker powers LiveXLive, you get 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
Slacker Radio is known for its high-quality audio, which makes it a standout among the streaming services. The app has a well-curated playlist and top-quality sound, making it perfect for listening to music. Other features that make it stand out include its interface and LiveXLive's acquisition of the app.
Design
Before we move onto the design aspect, I want to clarify that the LiveXLive platform that we'll be discussing. Since the acquisition, Slacker Radio has been integrated into the LiveXLive platform and thus it doesn't have an independent presence. Though I'll be discussing the legendary interface below, I want to shed light on the present platform as opposed to the past.
If you're not aware of the acquisition, you might search for terms such as "Slacker" or "Slacker Radio." Upon doing so, you'll find the LiveXLive button with "Slacker" appearing as metadata. If you click on it, you'll be redirected to their website with the URL specifying the link as "Slacker Redirect."
Header
Before we even see the header section, there's a leaderboard plug to its premium service. That's a massive turn off. I don't expect any premium services to brazenly pluck their services right above the header, as it's quite unappealing from a user-experience perspective. Under the banner, you'll find three options - Live Events, Video, and My Library. Towards the left is a log in button and towards the right is a drop-down button with four options - "The Daily?", "Shop?", "More?", and "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 a premium banner and a section that reads "View Our Plans?" Below the banner is a newsletter sign-up area and on the right is a plug for the mobile app.
Footer
Near the footer, you'll find six options: Get The App?, Subscribe?, Support?, Contact?, Terms?, and Privacy. Each option has corresponding social media buttons: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Content
Slacker is a great way to enjoy music. With custom stations, a personal playlist, and recently played stations, finding your favorite songs has never been easy. There are a wide range of genres to choose from, including Hip Hop/R&B, Pop, EDM/Dance, Rock, Country, and Metal. In its deep catalog, you can find platinum albums by Taylor Swift and Prince.
Apart from music, Slacker Radio also has a massive news and sports catalog. With ABC News and exclusive Slacker Stories, you get more than ESPN Radio - which is no longer part of the platform. In addition, you can also watch Star Wars Stories, Bill Murray Stories, and other pop culture stories.
The Slacker Radio app has the same interface as before, with a panel-driven layout that offers amazing functionality. Today on Slacker Radio, you'll find the main content area where you can find the best tunes from Slacker Radio DJs. Apart from that, you can discover new music using the recommendation section. Some of the many recommended channels that caught my attention include Spotlight: Modern Jazz and 70s Rock.
Desktop/Mobile experience
I tested Slacker Radio in 2016 and 2017 and it was very ahead of its time. With the recent takeover by LiveXLive, I have to say that their approach hasn't ruined the platform. Sure, there's some branding and a new visual approach but the streaming remains crisp and clear. Audios are hiccup-free and have great sound quality. Thus, I'd like to appreciate LiveXLive's approach here for capitalizing on Slacker's strength.
Plans & Pricing
Slacker originally offered its independent app and website, but LiveXLive acquired the company in February 2019. Since then, it has three-tier pricing- Basic, Plus, and Premium. The Plus plan costs $3.99 whereas the Premium plan is priced at $9.99. The main 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 with a Plus plan. If you opt for a plan, you also get all these features except offline access and Play on-demand.
Suggestions I have for Slacker Radio
I don't disapprove of LiveXLive's takeover, but I do think the developers should work on the pricing. There's no Family Plan as offered by major music streaming services such as Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Tidal. If LiveXLive wants to target the audience that Slacker has attracted, they need to include an affordable family plan.
Conclusion
Slacker Radio has always offered a high-quality audio streaming service and lots of customization options. However, after the acquisition by LiveXLive, the company has been able to spread its operation and cater to a wider audience, including radio streaming.
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