Author: Anna Washenko

Songwriters’ guilds pen open letter decrying publishers’ attempts at ASCAP/BMI split

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Several publishers have been vocal about their interest in splitting from the performing rights organizations ASCAP and BMI. Their goal is to exert more control over digital rights management, pushing for increased royalty rates from online streaming services for their songwriters. However, a group of professional organizations and guilds centered on songwriting has released an open letter to publishers asking them to reconsider. Continue Reading →

The Orchard adding royalty processing as more indies seek control

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Indie distribution company The Orchard announced that it has purchased RoyaltyShare, a royalty-processing service, and made a strategic investment in a second royalty processor, Korrect. Thanks to the combined elements of those businesses, The Orchard will be providing a standalone royalty processing service for independent record labels. Business management has been a pivotal topic for independent artists as more listening happens in the online space, especially with the popularity of streaming platforms. Continue Reading →

Germany reportedly has 2.5 million premium streaming subscribers

Posted on by Anna Washenko

New research found that Germany reportedly has 2.5 million are paying for premium streaming services out of about 11.6 million total listeners on streaming platforms. The study, conducted by market research institute GfK for the music trade body BVMI, also reported that 6.4 million German people listen to ad-supported streaming for more than 90 minutes each week. Continue Reading →

Vessel’s windowed video service is now open to the public

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Vessel has exited its beta phase and its online video service is now available to all viewers. The service, started by former Hulu CEO Jason Kilar, is offering exclusive access to videos to its members for a small monthly subscription of $2.99 a month. To further build up the viewing audience, Vessel is offering a year of free access for anybody who signs up in the first 72 hours following the launch. Continue Reading →

Test Drive: How does Amazon’s Prime Music iOS radio feature hold up?

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Amazon has updated its Prime Music iOS app with a set of lean-back radio stations. The feature arrived a few months back on the web version, but with mobile listening continuing to rise, bring the fullest service possible to phones is likely to become more and more crucial to a music service’s success. The listening experience is very reminiscent of Pandora, but is it more than a copycat? Continue Reading →

Android Auto makes first appearance on the road via Pioneer

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Google has officially launched its Android Auto connected car solution in the U.S., the UK, and Australia. It is available to drivers who have both a second generation Networked Entertainment eXperience, or NEX, in-dash multimedia receiver from Pioneer. The aftermarket digital dashboard must be partnered with a smartphone running the Android 5.0, or Lollipop, operating system. Continue Reading →