Podtrac has released its podcast publisher rankings for December, the second month of stats with its verification program. All ten publishers on the ranker stayed the same from the previous month, with only shifts in the order. Continue Reading
Tidal is back in headlines with questions about the accuracy of its internal stream counts, but the story is gnarlier than it appears. The Norwegian Authority for Investigation of Economic and Environmental Crime (Okokrim) has reportedly launched an investigation after receiving allegations from domestic artist associations about potential loss of income due to manipulation of streaming data, according to Bloomberg Quint. Tidal appears to be involved, but is reportedly not under investigation. Continue Reading
In a new development connecting several big audio trends, Pandora has launched a Voice Mode that lets listeners control its mobile app with spoken commands. Voice Mode is powered by SoundHound’s Houndify voice AI platform, and it will begin rolling out to users today. Continue Reading
Spotify has signed a global content deal with Indian entertainment firm T-Series. Under the terms of the agreement, Spotify’s audience will be granted access to T-Series’ entire music library, which includes Bollywood soundtracks and music from emerging artists. Continue Reading
Vevo has upped JP Evangelista to the role of senior vice president of content, programming and marketing. He will spearhead the company’s strategy for official music video releases, original content creation, and other global programming efforts in this expanded role. Continue Reading
Tencent is reportedly preparing to launch a new voice-activated digital assistant for the popular WeChat app. Bloomberg reported that the upcoming assistant is named Xiaowei and will help the more than a billion users of the messaging app with simple tasks. Continue Reading
The week is kicking off with a pair of updates for the Apple HomePod. First, the smart speaker’s international footprint is growing. Second is a shift in how many places the same Apple Music account can be playing. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia has chosen Panoply’s Megaphone platform to distribute select shows from its iHeartPodcast Network. As a Megaphone client, iHeartMedia will receive tools for publishing, dynamic ad insertion, ad operations, campaign management, reporting, and analytics. Continue Reading
Apple Music has entered a partnership with the Sunderland AFC, a UK football club. (That’s soccer team to our fellow Americans.) As the exclusive streaming music partner for Sunderland, fans will be able to listen to player-curated playlists within the music platform and on the team’s website. Continue Reading
Google has discontinued the Chromecast Audio. A representative from Google confirmed that the specialized device, which streams audio from a mobile device or PC to a home speaker, will no longer be produced. However, Google will continue to provide support for Chromecast Audio owners. Continue Reading
Spotify has reached a big milestone in its growth: 200 million monthly active users. The streaming service added 9 million monthly active users in the past few months and reached the 200 million mark “about a week ago,” according to Spotify Global Head of Communications Dustee Jenkins. Continue Reading
Tidal has a new partnership with the Lincoln car manufacturer. Owners of Lincoln cars with the latest version of the Ford Sync AppLink infotainment service and an iOS device can access Tidal through the digital dashboard. Continue Reading