SiriusXM Launches New Ad-Supported Plan to Compete with Spotify, Apple Music

SiriusXM is stepping up it’s competition with streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Music by introducing a new, more affordable ad-supported plan called SiriusXM Play. This move aims to attract a wider audience and bolster the company’s growing advertising business.

Priced at under $7 per month, SiriusXM Play will feature approximately half the ad load of conventional radio stations. While SiriusXM’s talk channels have long included advertisements, this marks a significant shift for its music channels, which have largely been ad-free.

The new offering is designed to enhance SiriusXM’s competitiveness in the streaming market and concurrently expand its advertising revenue streams, a key strategic focus for the company. SiriusXM Play will be accessible both in-car and through streaming applications.

Currently, SiriusXM’s standard plans range from $9.99 to $25 per month. The Play tier is available on a limited basis, with broader rollouts and detailed package pricing expected later in the year.

Wayne Thorsen, SiriusXM’s COO, expressed enthusiasm for the new plan, stating, “SiriusXM Play presents us with an incredible opportunity to thoughtfully scale our audio service on the road and off to even more listeners across North America.” he highlighted the plan’s potential to attract price-sensitive listeners with a low-cost, ad-supported subscription offering over 130 in-car channels and extensive in-app content.

Scott Walker, Chief Advertising Revenue Officer for SiriusXM, sees Play as a significant new avenue for marketers. “Play is an exciting net-new opportunity for marketers looking to tap into passionate, high-quality audiences across some of SiriusXM’s most beloved music, talk, and sports channels,” Walker commented. He further emphasized the car as the “final frontier for digital ad-supported media,” noting the potential to offer new inventory and eventually revolutionize in-car advertising.