Music streaming provider Rhapsody will cease its partnership with The Echo Nest, VentureBeat reported.
Together with Napster, Rhapsody will stop utilizing the recommendations of The Echo Nest in the following month. The Echo Nest platform gives music app developers with services related to music data so they can provide services like giving recommendations for songs, among others. The announcement came after the acquisition of The Echo Nest by music streaming service and Rhapsody rival Spotify earlier this month. Apparently, the competitor doesn't believe that sharing their data is such a good idea, the report said.
Rhapsody International Chief Product Officer and Senior Vice President of the Americas Paul Springer said in the statement, "The Echo Nest has been a good partner for us, but we have never been completely satisfied with recommendations from any third party. As the number two music streaming service globally, we decided now is the time to invest heavily in personalization based on our experience as a pioneer in streaming music for over 13 years."
Springer added that Rhapsody will continue to grow globally. The service now has operations in 32 countries in Latin America and Europe and both Rhapsody and Napster have posted growth of 40% of its paying subscribers in the last two quarters. According to the statement, thousands of paying subscribers are discovering the platform daily.
During the transition, Springer assured that Rhapsody will continue to provide the same service. He said, "Customers shouldn't notice any interruption and over the next several months they will experience a more personalized listening experience across both the Rhapsody and Napster applications."
After The Echo Nest was purchased by Spotify, Rhapsody is not the first to stop using the data given by Echo Nest. Rdio was the first to do so and according to the VentureBeat report, there could be others who will sever their relationship with Echo Nest in the months to come.
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