Pandora to celebrate 10 years with 'Listener Love Day'

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- To celebrate 10 years in operation, online music service Pandora will give all listeners 24 hours of ad-free streaming starting Wednesday.

The online event, dubbed Listener Love Day, will celebrate Pandora's growth since its launch in 2005. The site will provide guided as well as regular free-form listening for all users located in the United States starting at 12:00 a.m. ET Sept. 9.

"We have seen the rise of EDM, hip hop's mass market acceptance, alternative feeding top 40 hits and Taylor Swift's move from country to pop," the company said in a statement.

"From the first song Pandora played in 2005 to the 50 billionth thumb we celebrated earlier this year, our mission has remained the same -- provide each our our listeners with the best music experience possible, whether an old favorite or introducing them to a new artist and style of music," said Pandora's founder Tim Westergren.

"Listener Love Day is a celebration not only of our listeners, but a day dedicated to great music."

A 10x10 mixtape has been released highlighting the top ten songs over the last decade including Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under The Bridge," Drake's "Started From The Bottom," and Default's "Deny." The company's 95 "musicologists" have also compiled a list of their favorite stations ranging in genres from indie electronic to swamp rock.

For ad-free listening every day, Pandora provides a $5 per month premium subscription.