Serial entrepreneur and disruptor Michael Robertson has launched 6 Seconds, a mobile listening app that turns radio (broadcast and pureplay) into a searchable jukebox experience. The app is positioned as an alternative to Pandora, and we also found unique discovery features. Continue Reading
Spotify rolled out a new feature this weekend called Tweet the Beat. It’s a pop-up screen prompting listeners to tweet at an artist about one of their tunes. For now, the feature is only about Rihanna and one of her newest singles, but it’s likely that Spotify is working to bring other performers on board. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Analyzing streaming revenues against GDP; SoundScan will include Bandzoogle sales; Apple’s redesigned mobile Music app. Continue Reading
During a press conference, IFPI CEO Frances Moore said that safe harbor protections that YouTube, Dailymotion, and similar free platforms receive mean that the music industry loses billions in potential income. “YouTube and Dailymotion are in the business of promoting, distributing and monetizing content, but claim to be mere hosting services, and then say they don’t have to take a full license,” she said. “That is unfair.” Continue Reading
Rob Greenlee has joined podcasting and audio streaming platform Spreaker as its head of content. Greenlee has previously served as CTO for PodcastOne, content manager for podcasts on Windows Phone/Xbox Music, and the business manager for Xbox Live’s podcast marketplace. Continue Reading
Radio Disney has entered a partnership with iBiquity Digital to have its programming appear on up to 60 of its high-definition digital stations through the HD Radio Ad Network. Billboard reported that iBiquity’s pitch to Radio Disney focused on the audience of “kids in cars with moms” as the HD radio receivers appear in more new car makes. Continue Reading
Norm Pattiz, founder and CEO of PodcastOne, moderated the On Demand Is In Demand panel at RAIN Summit West. He offered a wealth of opinions about the exploding category of on-demand talk, and teased out insights from panelists. Click through to listen. Continue Reading
The IFPI released its annual Digital Music Report, complete with an assessment of industry trends and case studies. According to the group’s data, 2014 was the first year that digital channels and physical channels accounted for the same proportion of revenue, 46% each. The digital revenue totaled $6.85 billion for the year out of the industry’s total revenue of $14.97 billion. About 41 million people now pay for music subscriptions, which accounted for 23% of global digital music revenue. Continue Reading
The congressional copyright melee has taken a new turn today as a bipartisan group of Representatives introduced new legislation aimed at revising and equalizing the royalties paid by terrestrial and online radio services. The Fair Play Fair Pay Act of 2015 includes, among other points, a move to have terrestrial radio stations pay royalties to performers in addition to the songwriters and publishers. Continue Reading
Rdio CEO Anthony Bay gave a keynote at RAIN Summit West focused on the need to reimagine what radio can be in an increasingly digital world. In addition to his summary of the role radio and broadcast can play for today’s listeners, he also announced plans for how his company will be pushing for that integration with an upcoming feature called Rdio Live. Continue Reading
James Cridland Weekly Links is a column by the U.K.’s radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: Pushing to activate smartphone FM chips in the U.S., an unusual TV spot for BBC Radio 1 in the UK, and other quality reads from around the world. Continue Reading
Apple and it’s reimagining of Beats Music is the subject of two new news items now floating around industry circles. First, MusicAlly reported that Apple is currently paying music journalists to supply the editorial snippets detailing its curated playlists. Second, a report from Bloomberg said that Apple is reaching out to artists in an effort to get exclusive content for its streaming service. Continue Reading