This Week's Top iTunes Webcast Download? Surprise! It's Songza

Growing

A new webcaster, SONGZA, bypassed PANDORA last week as the most popular free music app for APPLE devices. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports, "the NEW YORK-based start-up aims to re-write the songbook on how an online radio service ought to run. One key difference: it has no mood-killing audio ads."

The SONGZA app for iPHONES and iPADS has been downloaded 1.15 million times since launched on JUNE 7th.

"We have playlists for getting lucky," CEO/Co-Founder ELIAS ROMAN told THE AP. "If you're getting lucky and you're hearing a toothbrush ad in it, that's not a lifestyle enhancement. That's embarrassing for everybody."

Both PANDORA and SLACKER offer free streams with audio and video ads, plus offer users premium-priced feeds with no advertising. PANDORA's costs $36 a year, and SLACKER's is $4 per month.

"There's no question it's a difficult business," SLACKER SVP/Marketing JONATHAN SASSE told THE AP. "The cost of marketing means the company is losing money, but that won't stop it from advertising to try to get bigger. We'll continue to do that to invest in the growth of the company."

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