Unsettled issues are flowing into the industry mindspace following the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) ruling of new webcast royalty rates to labels on December 16. Broadcast law attorney David Oxenford untangles what the issues mean to broadcasters and small webcasters. Continue Reading
The holiday shopping period is usually a gold rush for retailers, and Amazon is no different. The company issued a press release with some key points from its December performance, and it revealed not just powerhouse results from the shipping and retail departments, but a surprisingly strong outcome for Prime Music as well. Continue Reading
Small webcasters feel left out. The music licensing terms under which they have been operating since 2006 are about to expire. Countless small businesses, many of them streaming unique programming in specialized music categories, could shut down this week. Owners of independent streaming stations who have contacted RAIN News have expressed dismay, fury, and guarded hope that the omission of a carve-out for small webcasting represents a delayed announcement that could still arrive in time. Continue Reading
In addition to the gift-wrapping and boxes, we’re also spending our post-holiday stupor unpacking the impact of The Beatles’ arrival into the streaming music space. This Monday morning focuses on social data, Spotify, and the top song choice this weekend. Continue Reading
We have commented on Facebook’s lack of native audio, and reported on an experiment with NPR. Now, Facebook is wading a little deeper into native audio via an agreement with Deezer. Users will be able to share 30-second clips from Deezer’s big music library, directly to Facebook. Continue Reading
The Beatles can now be streamed in major music services, and the RAIN editorial office is unreasonably (but seasonally!) giddy about it. Here, with cutting-edge analysis and lyrical insight, Anna Washenko and Brad Hill unabashedly discuss. Continue Reading
The Beatles are finally on-demand. It’s not the first time a celebrated hold-out splashily entered the interactive streaming space. But it feels different, closing the loop on a tectonic disruption of music consumption. Continue Reading
In August, we wrote a eulogy for Columbia House. The parent company of the service that made its name on mail-order CDs and cassettes filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year. But Columbia House may be returning from the dead with a new business model that seems equally quaint: vinyl. Continue Reading
Spotify has announced plans to add a new component to its behind-the-scenes features. The streaming service is making a songwriters and publishers administration system to help ensure that the right people get the right payments for the music they have on the platform. Continue Reading
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The second season of Serial has launched, before the first season’s hype has expired. If a second phase of the podcast resurgence is at hand, what might the future bring? Continue Reading
AccuRadio has expressed the giving spirit of the season with a daily charity drive, soliciting listeners to choose the non-profit recipients. For 30 days, ending tomorrow, Christmas Eve, AccuRadio will have donated $1,000 each day to various causes in its Season of Sharing campaign. There’s still time to participate! Continue Reading
We’ve seen a lot of lead-up to this moment over the past month, but today it’s official: Pandora has completed its acquisition of Rdio. The online radio company now owns the technology and intellectual property of the now-defunct streaming service. Continue Reading