Introducing Rdio Sessions Live @ The Orange Lounge

Star-Powered Music Series Brings New, Exclusive Audio Recordings to
Rdio’s Robust Catalogue of More than 30 Million Songs

Shaw Media’s ET Canada Takes Viewers Behind-the-Scenes with Revealing Artist Interviews

Rdio.com | @RdioCA | #RdioSessions

 TORONTO, September 6, 2014 – Following Rdio’s move to a free, stations first experience comes the announcement of Rdio Sessions Live @ The Orange Lounge. Building off the success of Rdio’s Sessions   program, which just premiered an exclusive performance with Canadian indie artists Tokyo Police Club, Rdio Canada is teaming up with The Orange Lounge. In joining forces with The Orange Lounge (Toronto’s world-renowned recording studio) and Universal Music Canada (the country’s leading music company), Rdio will provide listeners with the most exclusive access to intimate recordings from the biggest and hottest names in music.

When the Shaw Media property first teamed up with The Orange Lounge and Universal Music Canada in 2013, page views on the network’s site increased by 820 per cent, to well over 4.9 million, a testament to Orange Lounge finding the consumer sweet spot and feeding their hunger for quality content. Audio recordings and exclusive content from Rdio Sessions Live @ The Orange Lounge will soon be available to Rdio’s Canadian customers and subscribers at Rdio.com/Sessions; videos of the intimate sessions remain available at ETCanada.com/OrangeLounge.

Today’s announcement by Rdio CEO Anthony Bay was accompanied by a private session from Universal Music’s international sensation Ellie Goulding, whose sophomore album “Halcyon Days” is currently platinum in Canada and features the hits ‘Burn’, ‘Anything Could Happen’, and ‘I Need Your Love’. Goulding’s chilling 2013 session at The Orange Lounge remains one of the most-viewed on ETCanada.com.  

“Partnering with The Orange Lounge to offer exclusive, unique and compelling experiences through Rdio Sessions Live @ The Orange Lounge is a thrill and an honour,” said Anthony Bay, CEO of Rdio. “Canada is our second largest market and we are fully committed to teaming up with local music innovators to create powerful connections to music here.”

Rdio Sessions Live @ The Orange Lounge reflects the commitment and support from Shaw Communications to support Rdio's growth and profile among Canadian music lovers. Earlier this year, Shaw made a financial investment in Rdio's holding company and entered into a marketing, content, and promotion partnership designed to help develop a Canadian “face” of Rdio and provide Canadians with the world’s best digital music listening experience. As the country’s leading network and content experience company, Shaw is leveraging its extensive resources – particularly through its Shaw Media subsidiary – to create unique and engaging content experiences.

“Rdio Sessions Live @ The Orange Lounge is a strong example of our combined effort to create cutting-edge content experiences featuring the biggest musical acts and artists from across the country and around the world,” says Jim Little, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Shaw Communications. “Through Shaw Media’s extensive resources and expertise, we’re excited to take this partnership in new and interesting directions in the months to come.”

Earlier this week, Rdio, a leading global music streaming service available in 60 countries, launched a new version of its application which now includes a free Internet radio streaming service with both human programmed and computer programmed stations. The new version includes a suite of new features and social discovery enhancements to its subscription service that underscores Rdio’s commitment to creating the best-in-class digital music experience in the world.

-30-

About Rdio

Rdio is the leading digital music service reinventing the way people discover, play, and share music. Play what you want, when you want, or turn on a station for a perfect mix of songs. Listen anywhere — the web, your phone, even offline — and follow friends and artists to see what they’re playing. Launched in August 2010, Rdio is headquartered in San Francisco and was founded by Janus Friis, the co-creator of Skype. The service is currently available in 60 countries. More information about Rdio is available at: www.rdio.com

About Shaw Communications Inc.

Shaw is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.2 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 19 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY^® and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.