Echo Nest was once a top name in music recommendations. The startup was acquired by Spotify in 2014, and since then its technology has been leveraged into some wildly popular personalized playlists for that streaming service. Now, a former Echo Nest exec has flown the Spotify coop and is striking out with a new approach to personalized discovery. Continue Reading
Pandora announced that its full on-demand subscription tier can now be accessed via Amazon Alexa. Pandora Premium has added support for voice commands, meaning subscribers can issue commands to control playback for songs, stations, and playlists on Alexa-enabled devices. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia announced that it has acquired Jelli, a specialist in programmatic audio advertising for radio and the creator of the SpotPlan platform. Jelli’s technology has been pivotal as audio moves toward programmatic buying and selling. Its work has been especially relevant to the broadcast industry. Continue Reading
Podtrac released its podcast publisher ranking for October 2018. The chart reflected some recent developments in the podcast space, with iHeartRadio moving up to the second spot following its acquisition of HowStuffWorks. Continue Reading
Canalys has released its third-quarter market research on the global smart speaker industry. Worldwide shipments increased 137% on-year for a total of 19.7 million units. After a strong Q2 for Google, Amazon has regained its lead in the latest period, likely thanks to its big sales push on Prime Day. Continue Reading
Sonos posted positive results for its fiscal fourth quarter, and Wall Street celebrated the news. The audio company makes wireless speakers and is quickly asserting expertise in mid-tier and high-end smart speakers. The newly launched Sonos Beam in particular boosted the company’s performance, and investors boosted stock prices 20% in after-hours trading. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group has reported its earnings for the third quarter as rumors swirl that the major label could be moving toward a sale. Revenue rose 13.5% on-year to €1.495 billion ($1.732 billion) for the period. Parent company Vivendi said in the earnings update that it is in talks with about 15 banks, looking for assistance in finding a strategic partner for the major label. Continue Reading
AdLarge’s digital audio advertising unit, cabana, announced that it has added Bear Brook to its content portfolio. The investigative podcast is from New Hampshire Public Radio, and is hosted by reporter Jason Moon. Continue Reading
Gimme Radio announced the launch of a paid subscription tier called the Brigade. The 24/7 online radio station for metal music has unveiled an option for listeners to access its past programming, exclusive content, and other perks. Continue Reading
2 Dope Queens, a podcast under WNYC hosted by Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams, announced the end of its run. The popular comedy and storytelling show is closing with a special episode featuring former first lady Michelle Obama as the guest. Continue Reading
Tidal has made its streaming entertainment accessible on two new platforms. First, the company announced that Tidal is supported on all Amazon Echo devices. The second integration brings Tidal to Samsung Wearables. Continue Reading
NetEase Cloud Music has secured a financing round of $600 million to help it compete in both China and on the global stage. The streaming service has more than 600 million registered users and is a major player in China’s music market. Continue Reading