Music streaming service Rdio announced Monday that it will begin paying artists $10 per new subscriber they can bring to the paid version of the service with referrals. The ad-free service feels more users may subscribe if their favorite artist refers them and gives the musicians an incentive to participate. After all, one new subscriber will pay the average price of an album. This is especially good for indie bands who have yet to get their name out there, but do have some loyal followers.
Competing music streaming services like Spotify and Mog do not offer such an artist program at this time, giving Rdio exclusivity. The new program also helps to bring more artists to Rdio, something the service is in need of. Spotify, for one, offers far more content than Rdio because of the licensing deals it's acquired. With the Rdio Artist Program, the little service may get back on top again with some real advantages it can offer as an alternative to competitors.
Source: Rdio Blog