Rdio follows Spotify in adding free unlimited web listening to combat Beats Music

The new streaming music service from Beats Audio is barely out of the gate, but leading competitors are already trying to making themselves more attractive to the listening audience.

First, industry leader Spotify decided allow people within the U.S. to listen to a limited version of its streaming music service via the web for free, as VentureBeat previously reported. And now, scrappy underdog Rdio is also providing U.S. listeners with unlimited access to its free radio service on the web.

As my colleague Ricardo Bilton points out, the superior marketing machine behind Beats Audio’s speaker and headphone business threatens to sideline competitors like Rdio and Spotify.

Rdio is in a particularly uncomfortable position because it’s currently struggling to keep the user growth of its service on par with Spotify.

Both Rdio and Spotify, which will only offer an Internet radio product for free (not the full on-demand service), are hoping that the allure of a free tier online will keep users from jumping ship to Beats. Also, Beats Music is only offering its customers a 7-day free trial.