INRIX, a connected car software provider, adds Napster and other streaming services

Music service Napster sent us a note that it has been added to the OpenCar platform developed by INRIX. INRIX is a U.S.-based software and services company that develops connectivity products for car makers. Napster is one of several audio services that have been incorporated into OpenCar, which is part of a services suite marketed in 50 countries. Continue Reading

Hi-res streaming gets boost at CES with new industry collective

A collective of record labels, streaming platforms, and advocacy organizations leveraged the CES spotlight to announce a commitment to high-resolution (hi-res) audio streaming. The loosely-articulated mission continues an industry trend whose mileposts have been as varied as Neil Young’s Pono venture, Tidal’s hi-res streaming subscription service, and the small but notable resurgence of vinyl records. Continue Reading

1

Changes of heart: Metallica is on Napster, Radiohead is on Spotify

Metallica is out with a new album and the band has gone an unusual route with distribution. Hardwired… To Self Destruct has been released on most of the usual digital outlets, but it is also on YouTube in its entirety. Metallica’s adoption of streaming distribution contradicts the band’s earlier resistence, and contains some irony. Then there is Radiohead, once a hold-out, which is now streaming on Spotify. Continue Reading