Consent decrees are back in the headlines. These rules govern how performing rights organizations ASCAP and BMI collect fees for use of their catalogs, but now the Department of Justice is reviewing the decrees and considering their end. Today, ASCAP and BMI issued an open letter with their stance on the possible reforms. Continue Reading
Independent music company CD Baby is embarking on a global expansion with several new hires in Latin America, Asia Pacific, Canada, the UK, and the EU. These new regional specialists will be responsible for increasing CD Baby’s existing presence or putting new roots down. Continue Reading
One of the big music industry narratives this year will likely be the expected sale of up to a 50% stake in Universal Music Group. Two very different potential buyers have already emerged. Reuters reported that Tencent Music Entertainment and U.S. buyout fund KKR are each exploring bids for the major label. Continue Reading
Sirius XM announced a new content expansion for its subscribers. The satellite radio company introduced more than 100 curated, commercial-free streaming music channels available exclusively to Sirius XM All Access and Sirius XM Premier Streaming subscribers. Continue Reading
Voxnest announced the launch of a new digital audio ad marketplace to help brands and advertisers secure spots on podcasts. The Voxnest Audience Network is an international marketplace for in-audio advertising inventory that will allow buyers to reach targeted audiences with buys of content bundles curated by proprietary data. Continue Reading
Ahead of the Infinite Dial 2019 presentation next week, Edison Research and Triton Digital have released a preview of this year’s research report. The slide is about trends in using YouTube for music. The video platform has been a notable presence in Infinite Dial studies in past years, and 2019 promises to have more positive numbers for the site. Continue Reading
Despite a last-minute legal challenge, Spotify has officially launched in India. The streaming service has brought its premium service to the country with a library of 40 million songs. The free version of its service is also launching in India with a first: these listeners will be able to play songs on demand. Continue Reading
In a startling revision of the podcasting executive lineup, Lex Friedman and Korri Kolesa have departed sales company Midroll Media and start today in new roles at podcast technology company ART19. We spoke with Sean Carr, ART19 CEO. Continue Reading
The Pocket Casts podcast listening app is making its debut on Amazon Echo smart speakers with its first Alexa skill. This update will see shows be accessed on the hardware with voice commands. Continue Reading
The RIAA has elected a new board of directors that will serve their posts until 2022. Many labels are represented on the board, which is the latest development in a continuing shift to the trade organization’s leadership. Mitch Glazier was officially instated as the RIAA’s chairman and CEO, and Michele Ballantyne was named as its COO in January. Continue Reading
Cadence13 and Panoply Media have entered a new partnership that will see Cadence13 bring its podcast roster to the Megaphone for distribution and campaign management. Megaphone is the podcast hosting and ad-insertion platform from Panoply Media. Continue Reading
Apple Music may be getting a bigger smart speaker footprint soon. An eagle-eyed reader of MacRumors noticed that Apple’s music streaming service is now listed within the latest update to the Google Home iOS app, but it can’t currently be connected to one of the smart home devices from that product line. Continue Reading