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Tom Conrad is CEO of connected-speakers firm Sonos, but he was also chief technology officer at music-streaming service Pandora for a decade. His views on the current music-streaming landscape are certainly sharp.
“The iPod invented the core conventions of modern digital music, and then in 2004, Pandora and Last FM, I suppose, kind of invented the modern conventions around personalised streaming audio,” he told TechRadar in an interview.
“And it’s been 20 years, and it’s surprising to me how little has changed in that experience… the user interface of it all is kind of just some hierarchical browsing, and then a fullscreen audio player with skip buttons and things.”
Why is this the case? “Apple is motivated by selling hardware, and Spotify is motivated by reducing licensing costs, and no one is motivated by: let’s make a great and innovative music discovery experience for the consumer.”
Ouch. Although both companies would push back on that accusation – particularly Spotify, with its recent emphasis on conversation and context in various AI-powered discovery features on its service.
Conrad’s comments are surprising, not least because the DSPs he is describing are important partners for Sonos.
“I feel like we have a better relationship with Apple, Amazon, Spotify than we have in years, and I’m really excited about the work we’re driving together,” he said during the interview. But his suggestions about their motivations risks putting a dent in those relationships.