Spotify buys Seed Scientific, digging in as the data-driven streaming platform

Spotify has acquired Seed Scientific, adding to its cadre of big data capabilities. Under the new ownership, Seed Scientific will focus on analyzing the interactions artists, listeners, and brands have with the streaming platform. It will be the basis of a new Advanced Analytics division at Spotify, led by Seed’s founder and CEO Adam Bly. Continue Reading

UMG enters partnership to turn data into dollars for artists

Universal Music Group has entered into a new partnership with Havas Group to form the Global Music Data Alliance. This data-centric entity will use Havas’ algorithms to analyze information about UMG artists, from ticket sales to streaming counts to social media stats, to look for new revenue opportunities. In particular, GMDA will examine behavioral data to better understand the relationships between artists, fans, and brands. Continue Reading

adStream: An ad built to harvest registration data

adStream is an ad-stalking journal in streaming audio.
In the relentless pursuit of streaming ads, we encounter plenty of “companions.” Companion ads are (usually) banners that accompany audio spots in streams. Tracking the banner impressions is difficult, and companions are secondary to audio advertising which interrupts the stream and captures the listener’s attention. We found an interesting one, with a single purpose. Continue Reading

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Data drives digital revenue for broadcasters: a conversation with Paul Cramer

Broadcast radio competes with pureplay streaming audio in two ways. First, in a platform-vs-platform context, over-the-air is pitched against Internet delivery. Second, radio station webcasts compete for share of advertisers that are building digital campaigns to reach targeted audiences. We reached out to Paul Cramer of Triton digital to dig into data, smart impressions, and programmatic advertising. Continue Reading

Advertising Doesn’t Need to Fight the Machines

Many in the advertising world think of Big Data as a damper to the creative process and the cause of the “wind tunnel” effect. What they don’t realize is that Big Data is more likely to become marketing’s biggest ally than its mortal enemy. Guest column by Bret Kinsella of XAPPmedia. Continue Reading