Jon Maples: Will Apple’s Tastemaker Test Win The Streaming Music Challenge?
Month: February 2014
iHeartRadio and Clear Channel ally with BandPage for tour/ticket information
BandPage is adding another feather in its many-feathered cap in a distribution agreement with Clear Channel radio stations and CC-owned iHeartRadio. Both iHeart and the websites of Clear Channel’s 840 radio stations will carry BandPage’s musician tour dates and ticket-purchase links. Continue Reading
Rovi acquires Veveo, expanding its intelligence platform
Rovi, the media guide and recommendation company, has entered an agreement to acquire Veveo, a technology developer focused on conversation-powered media search, discovery, and personalization. The deal is worth at least $62-million. Continue Reading
Netflix/Verizon might be next, as net-neutrality dominoes begin to fall
This week’s deal between Netflix and Comcast is an historic, first-of-its-kind arrangement between an Internet content company and an Internet access company. The second deal of its type will not be historic, but might be coming soon, according to Verizon’s CEO. Continue Reading
Infinite Dial 2014 preview: Nearly a third of 12+ Americans use Pandora each month
Edison Research and Triton Digital have scheduled the release of Infinite Dial 2014, for Wednesday, March 5. In a preliminary peek, Edison reports a few Internet listening statistics. Click through for a link to the registration page for getting the full report when released next week. Continue Reading
RAIN Hotspots: February 17-21
The five most-read articles of last week. Is the streaming-music business model fundamentally broken? (This was also our most-linked article.) iTunes Radio and Pandora: who is slaying whom? Lew Dickey (CEO, Cumulus) speaks out about streaming. Shazam starts a record label. More. Continue Reading
More speakers announced for RAIN Summit West
RAIN Enterprises announces more speakers at RAIN Summit West on April 6: Rick Ducey (BIA/Kelsey), Andy Lipset (Pandora), and Mark McCrery (Podtrac). RAIN Summit West will take place in Las Vegas, co-located with The NAB Show, on April 6. Special early registration rate is in effect. Continue Reading
RAIN Poll results: More prefer leaning back to leaning in
In the latest RAIN Poll, we asked readers to vote their preference: lean back, or lean in? There was no majority opinion in the poll results. Forty-three percent of voters chose lean-back listening, against a 13% preference for leaning in. Another option was “Some of both.” Continue Reading
With net neutrality on hold, Netflix buys favored position with Comcast
In a deal that can power the talking points of “net neutrality” detractors and advocates alike, video streamer Netflix announced “a mutually beneficial interconnection agreement” with cable giant Comcast. The deal is historic, with many dimensions. Continue Reading
Battleline drawn: SoundHound/Spotify vs. Shazam/Rdio
In what appears to be a targeted competitive thrust, song-identification platform SoundHound announced an app update that connects more substantially to music subscription service Spotify. Competitive strategy against Shazam and its recently completed deal with Rdio? Continue Reading
James Cridland, Ted Cohen, David Oxenford to speak at RAIN Summit West
RAIN Enterprises announces three speakers at RAIN Summit West on April 6 in Las Vegas: James Cridland, a self-described “Radio Futurologist,” Ted Cohen, Managing Partner of TAG Strategic, and attorney David Oxenford, partner at Wilkinson Barker Knauer in Washington. Continue Reading
Ron Pope makes a six-figure Spotify income
A streaming success story: Ron Pope’s tracks have been played 57-million times, and he has earned about $335,000 in Spotify royalties. In 2013, Spotify paid Ron Pope $200,000. He cites Spotify as his second-highest income source, after iTunes. His live shows are fourth on Pope’s income list. Continue Reading