Trending News: Spotify Q1: 1B Euros; total revenue +20%; 615 monthly usersSteve Goldstein: Navigating The Real Risks Of AI-AudioAudacy Sports launches today, solving a “clunky” problem and better serving advertisersRAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 24Acast annual report: Defending and defining the podcast ad marketSpotify exits the IAB; podcasting particularly affected; a signal of extraordinay self-sufficiencyRAIN Notes: Tuesday, April 23James Cridland’s International Radio Trends: Networking but sounding local; and could the BBC go commercial?Radio World announces “Best of Show” recognition at NAB 2024Sports fans are avid audio users … and big spenders. Advertisers take note. (SiriusXM)NPR and SiriusXM win Triton’s March U.S. Podcast RankerRAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 1714.5M to 1k across 758 shows: The Podglomerate gets (us) drunk on follower dataDigital audio ad revenue reaches new high for 2023 (IAB annual report)Audioboom Q1: revenue growth; 110M downloads; average CPM +27%. “Exactly as we hoped.”RAIN Notes: Friday, April 12“I spent millions” — Jordan Harbinger’s three lessons to podcast advertisersRAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 10Podcasts on Substack? $100M worth, and Substack is promoting the featuresFlight Studio, AI-intensive podcast media company, launched by serial entrepreneur from hit podcastSpotify extends AI playlisting with, well, “AI Playlist”RAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 10Podtrac Podcast Industry Ranking (with RAIN Remix): Two new participants grow list to 22RAIN Notes: Tuesday, April 9Acast leads top podcast publishers / networks globally; YouTube poorly representedAudioboom expands sales staff with two hires in a “strategic move”RAIN Notes: Friday, April 5Podcast listeners are receptive to ads, and likely to act on them: Sounds Profitable studyJames Cridland’s International Radio Trends: Closures and bereavementsMarch podcast launches reach 13-month low. Episode production also tracking lowSteve Goldstein: Insights From Leaders At The TopStability rules podcast ad rates in 2024 (so far): Libsyn AdsRAIN Notes: Tuesday, April 2U.S. recorded music revenue hit new high ($17B) in 2023, but not when adjusted for inflation; streaming rules.RAIN News changes for the bet– well, it changes.Leading online radio service AccuRadio to debut revolutionary new user interface driven by human gesturesResearch: Evaluating effectiveness of podcast talent-voiced ads in different scenariosPodcasting: $43B in 2032? (Market.us)Podcasting reaches for 100M weekly listeners: Infinite Dial 2024 (Edison Research)Streaming audio sets new annual record: Infinite Dial 2024 (Edison Research)RAIN Notes: Wednesday, March 27Senior Execs and podcasts: Signal Hill spotlights a unique listening demoRAIN Notes: Tuesday, March 26Indigenous Screen Office (Canada) partners with Acast for inaugural podcast programTriton Digital deepens its relationship with Sounder by acquiring itRAIN Notes: Monday, March 25Testing and measurement: keys to podcast ad efficacy (Veritonic research)Audacy erases the Cadence13 brand, creates Audacy Podcasts.10.2% growth of global music industry; initial coverage of IFPI annual reportAudacy launches AI + transcripts to “hyper-target” podcast listenersAdvertiseCast rebrands as Libsyn Ads, folding more plainly into parent companyRAIN Notes: Wednesday, March 20February podcast ad spend dips; 12 of top 15 are repeatersSpotify launches “Podcast Streams,” a listener targeting program for podcasters at all levelsEdison Podcast Metrics releases top new podcasts of 2023Mark Mulligan: Global recorded music revenues grew by 9.8% in 2023New digital audio ad firm Audire launches in 3 regions, offers 150M reach with “cost per full listen”NPR and SiriusXM win Triton’s February U.S. Podcast Ranker with flexible sorting optionsRAIN Notes: Thursday, March 14Triton Digital partners with ID5 for privacy-first audience dataNeil Young plans Spotify return, as the reason for it (Joe Rogan) becomes inescapableU.S. local ad spend 2024: $172B, near-even split of traditional and digital (BIA)“New Heights” wins Podcast of the Year at iHeartPodcast AwardsAI-programmed radio (HD) launches in Nashville, powered by Super Hi-FiMore buyers and more buying: MusicWatch Annual Music Study 2023“TV is what is playing in God’s waiting room” — and more media insights from Westwood OneSteve Goldstein: Podcasters Are Grappling With How To Make YouTube WorkWarner preps acquisition of digital music firm Believe; AIM objectsSpotify to hike subscription rates in France in dispute with a targeted tax hikeRAIN Notes: Thursday, March 7Spotify’s new “AUX” connects advertisers with musicians for in-concert and on-platform holistic partnershipsStreaming radio show wins top award at Country Radio SeminarAudioboom renews five podcasts representing 90-million downloadsiHeartMedia Q4: Digital Audio Group continues to uplift revenue storyPodcast ad rates rose (a bit) in February: Libsyn AdvertiseCast“Strong growth across all segments” — UMG releases earnings and predicts layoffsASCAP reports record-breaking revenues for music creators in 2023 annual reportLive365 stations gain wider distribution via Audacy / SoundStack dealListeners say: Keep audio ads simple and not too loud. (Veritonic & RealEyes)RAIN Notes: Monday, February 26Podtrac Global Delivery metrics (plus RAIN Remix)Steve Goldstein: What People Are Doing When They Aren’t Listening To Your PodcastJanuary ad spend on podcasts surpasses December, Sports dominates (Magellan)Music rights investment firm democratizes long-tail sale of song catalogsAd types, visitor rates, and more in new Podscribe benchmark reportRAIN Notes: Tuesday, February 20The Podcast Academy releases nominees for The Ambies awardsArabic pod platform Podeo partners with messaging app imo, massively increasing distributionRAIN Notes: Wednesday, February 14YouTube overtakes Spotify for podcast listening in new Cumulus / Signal Hill studyEfficiency is the clarion call as SiriusXM initiates second layoff in a year.Acast achieves first positive adjusted EBITDA in Q4.IAB/MRC formulates measurement guidelines for $1.2B augmented reality segment (AR)92 downloads is good. 43,654 is better. Podcast benchmarking from Omny StudioStreaming music reaches 20% of all U.S. listening. Podcasts at 11%.Steve Goldstein: What People Are Doing When They Aren’t Listening To Your PodcastRAIN Notes: Thursday, February 8Spotify Q1: Exceeding expectationsBBC plans new stations via DAB digital deliveryRephonic / PodMatch advice to most podpreneurs: “Stop. Start a business instead.”
Thu. Apr 25th, 2024
Trending News: Spotify Q1: 1B Euros; total revenue +20%; 615 monthly usersSteve Goldstein: Navigating The Real Risks Of AI-AudioAudacy Sports launches today, solving a “clunky” problem and better serving advertisersRAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 24Acast annual report: Defending and defining the podcast ad marketSpotify exits the IAB; podcasting particularly affected; a signal of extraordinay self-sufficiencyRAIN Notes: Tuesday, April 23James Cridland’s International Radio Trends: Networking but sounding local; and could the BBC go commercial?Radio World announces “Best of Show” recognition at NAB 2024Sports fans are avid audio users … and big spenders. Advertisers take note. (SiriusXM)NPR and SiriusXM win Triton’s March U.S. Podcast RankerRAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 1714.5M to 1k across 758 shows: The Podglomerate gets (us) drunk on follower dataDigital audio ad revenue reaches new high for 2023 (IAB annual report)Audioboom Q1: revenue growth; 110M downloads; average CPM +27%. “Exactly as we hoped.”RAIN Notes: Friday, April 12“I spent millions” — Jordan Harbinger’s three lessons to podcast advertisersRAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 10Podcasts on Substack? $100M worth, and Substack is promoting the featuresFlight Studio, AI-intensive podcast media company, launched by serial entrepreneur from hit podcastSpotify extends AI playlisting with, well, “AI Playlist”RAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 10Podtrac Podcast Industry Ranking (with RAIN Remix): Two new participants grow list to 22RAIN Notes: Tuesday, April 9Acast leads top podcast publishers / networks globally; YouTube poorly representedAudioboom expands sales staff with two hires in a “strategic move”RAIN Notes: Friday, April 5Podcast listeners are receptive to ads, and likely to act on them: Sounds Profitable studyJames Cridland’s International Radio Trends: Closures and bereavementsMarch podcast launches reach 13-month low. Episode production also tracking lowSteve Goldstein: Insights From Leaders At The TopStability rules podcast ad rates in 2024 (so far): Libsyn AdsRAIN Notes: Tuesday, April 2U.S. recorded music revenue hit new high ($17B) in 2023, but not when adjusted for inflation; streaming rules.RAIN News changes for the bet– well, it changes.Leading online radio service AccuRadio to debut revolutionary new user interface driven by human gesturesResearch: Evaluating effectiveness of podcast talent-voiced ads in different scenariosPodcasting: $43B in 2032? (Market.us)Podcasting reaches for 100M weekly listeners: Infinite Dial 2024 (Edison Research)Streaming audio sets new annual record: Infinite Dial 2024 (Edison Research)RAIN Notes: Wednesday, March 27Senior Execs and podcasts: Signal Hill spotlights a unique listening demoRAIN Notes: Tuesday, March 26Indigenous Screen Office (Canada) partners with Acast for inaugural podcast programTriton Digital deepens its relationship with Sounder by acquiring itRAIN Notes: Monday, March 25Testing and measurement: keys to podcast ad efficacy (Veritonic research)Audacy erases the Cadence13 brand, creates Audacy Podcasts.10.2% growth of global music industry; initial coverage of IFPI annual reportAudacy launches AI + transcripts to “hyper-target” podcast listenersAdvertiseCast rebrands as Libsyn Ads, folding more plainly into parent companyRAIN Notes: Wednesday, March 20February podcast ad spend dips; 12 of top 15 are repeatersSpotify launches “Podcast Streams,” a listener targeting program for podcasters at all levelsEdison Podcast Metrics releases top new podcasts of 2023Mark Mulligan: Global recorded music revenues grew by 9.8% in 2023New digital audio ad firm Audire launches in 3 regions, offers 150M reach with “cost per full listen”NPR and SiriusXM win Triton’s February U.S. Podcast Ranker with flexible sorting optionsRAIN Notes: Thursday, March 14Triton Digital partners with ID5 for privacy-first audience dataNeil Young plans Spotify return, as the reason for it (Joe Rogan) becomes inescapableU.S. local ad spend 2024: $172B, near-even split of traditional and digital (BIA)“New Heights” wins Podcast of the Year at iHeartPodcast AwardsAI-programmed radio (HD) launches in Nashville, powered by Super Hi-FiMore buyers and more buying: MusicWatch Annual Music Study 2023“TV is what is playing in God’s waiting room” — and more media insights from Westwood OneSteve Goldstein: Podcasters Are Grappling With How To Make YouTube WorkWarner preps acquisition of digital music firm Believe; AIM objectsSpotify to hike subscription rates in France in dispute with a targeted tax hikeRAIN Notes: Thursday, March 7Spotify’s new “AUX” connects advertisers with musicians for in-concert and on-platform holistic partnershipsStreaming radio show wins top award at Country Radio SeminarAudioboom renews five podcasts representing 90-million downloadsiHeartMedia Q4: Digital Audio Group continues to uplift revenue storyPodcast ad rates rose (a bit) in February: Libsyn AdvertiseCast“Strong growth across all segments” — UMG releases earnings and predicts layoffsASCAP reports record-breaking revenues for music creators in 2023 annual reportLive365 stations gain wider distribution via Audacy / SoundStack dealListeners say: Keep audio ads simple and not too loud. (Veritonic & RealEyes)RAIN Notes: Monday, February 26Podtrac Global Delivery metrics (plus RAIN Remix)Steve Goldstein: What People Are Doing When They Aren’t Listening To Your PodcastJanuary ad spend on podcasts surpasses December, Sports dominates (Magellan)Music rights investment firm democratizes long-tail sale of song catalogsAd types, visitor rates, and more in new Podscribe benchmark reportRAIN Notes: Tuesday, February 20The Podcast Academy releases nominees for The Ambies awardsArabic pod platform Podeo partners with messaging app imo, massively increasing distributionRAIN Notes: Wednesday, February 14YouTube overtakes Spotify for podcast listening in new Cumulus / Signal Hill studyEfficiency is the clarion call as SiriusXM initiates second layoff in a year.Acast achieves first positive adjusted EBITDA in Q4.IAB/MRC formulates measurement guidelines for $1.2B augmented reality segment (AR)92 downloads is good. 43,654 is better. Podcast benchmarking from Omny StudioStreaming music reaches 20% of all U.S. listening. Podcasts at 11%.Steve Goldstein: What People Are Doing When They Aren’t Listening To Your PodcastRAIN Notes: Thursday, February 8Spotify Q1: Exceeding expectationsBBC plans new stations via DAB digital deliveryRephonic / PodMatch advice to most podpreneurs: “Stop. Start a business instead.”
Thu. Apr 25th, 2024
Rhapsody CEO on the change to Napster and navigating the future
Rhapsody CEO on the change to Napster and navigating the future

Rhapsody is the great uncle of on-demand music subscription services. Two months ago Mike Davis took over as CEO, quickly tightening the ship with a round of layoffs. Last week came the announcement that Rhapsody would become Napster across all territories, consolidating its brand. RAIN News dialed up a conversation with Mike Davis to discuss that decision, and talk about steering a music service through a complex competitive landscape.

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Rhapsody’s new CEO jumps into public view with new metrics
Rhapsody’s new CEO jumps into public view with new metrics

Rhapsody International’s brand new CEO Mike Davis has been on the job for less than a week, and grabbed some public attention with a blog post announcing positive numbers for the streaming service.

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