The new Rdio focuses on a more intuitive interface and more social features

Mar 14, 2012 10:59 GMT  ·  By

Rdio has just announced a major redesign of its site and, by extension, its web player. The redesign applies to the desktop app as well. The focus was on a more streamlined navigation, easier ways of building playlists, like drag and drop, and generally simplifying things.

The new site is now available to paying users, though it's not enabled by default, and will be rolled out to everyone, including "free" users, over time.

"Welcome to new Rdio. We built it for you — it’s faster, simpler, and more social. New Rdio is a visually beautiful and dynamic way to play Rdio’s massive catalogue of 15 million songs," Rdio boasted.

"New features include the oft requested drag and drop playlist creation, a more personalized Heavy Rotation, and private playlists," it said.

"The completely redesigned new Rdio is available on Rdio.com and the Rdio desktop apps to all Web and Unlimited subscribers," it added.

Apart for streamlining the site, a big focus was put on the social aspects, making it easier to share the songs you love with friends and also checking out what they're listening to.

Just as Rdio is unveiling a new design, Spotify expanded into Germany, a major new market for the site, where Rdio is already present.

Online music, of the streaming service variety, seems to be thriving or is doomed, depending on who you ask. On the one hand, more services show up and the existing ones are always expanding.

On the other, no one seems to be making any money, not the music streaming services - who say they fork everything to the recording labels, not the recording labels - who say they're making too little money from these services, and not the artists - who say they get pennies from their record labels. Yet it all seems to be working out, so someone must be doing something right.