Frank Micelotta/Invision for Parkwood Entertainment/AP
Next week, the Internet radio company is launching a new ad service so that political groups can figure out if you're a Democrat or a Republican, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Here's how it works.
Pandora first reviews the election results for your area. So if, for example, 80% of people in your area voted for President Barack Obama, Pandora assumes that 80% of people in your area lean Democrat.
Pandora will then label you based on your taste in music, and determine which artists are more frequently listened to in Democratic versus Republican areas.
People who listen to country, gospel and new age music more often live in Republican areas, according to Pandora. But fans of jazz, reggae, and electronic music more often than not live in Democratic areas. R&B fans lean more toward Democrats.
Pandora has 73 million monthly active listeners. As Pandora continues to battle streaming services like Spotify and Rdio for ad revenue, it likely sees this novel form of targeting as a way to attract dollars from election campaigns.
If you pay for Pandora, you can opt out of politically targeted ads. But those who use the free service won't be able to. So far, Pandora has signed up two political advertising firms, Precision Network and Bully Pulpit Interactive.
