Spotify has teamed up with Foursquare to collect data about the connections between audio ads and brick-and-mortar storefronts. Attribution by Foursquare will measure whether ads playing on a Spotify stream drive visits to physical stores. Continue Reading
Sony has made yet another move toward transparency in how it is distributing the proceeds from its sale of Spotify stock. Sony Music Entertainment has informed indie labels by email that it intends to make payments to eligible artists and participants as soon as possible. There is one interesting and revealing point. Continue Reading
In an industry report that dramatically raises revenue expectations for podcasting. We dive into the details and explain why they’re important. Continue Reading
The spring 2018 results are out from the MIDAS survey from RAJAR, providing a snapshot of how the UK population is consuming audio. Live radio has the largest share for each age group, though young people listen less. Podcast is consumed by 11% of the population. Much more. Continue Reading
A new report from James Cridland’s Podnews reveals that algorithmic one-upmanship has entered the scene — podcasters can now buy their way to a high placement in Apple Podcast charts. We’re not certain it works, but it shouldn’t be surprising. Where there is an algorithm, there is an attempt to hijack it. Continue Reading
In a pivotal deal, NPR announced that its entire podcast catalog is now available on Spotify for the first time. All shows from the public media outlet, both familiar favorites and new titles, will have a home on the streaming audio service. The arrangement brings the world’s largest podcast publisher into one of the largest podcast distribution platforms. Continue Reading
Podcast company Podbean has unveiled an update to its statistics, making them fully compliant with the IAB Podcast Measurement Guidelines. The revised system will be released starting April 3. The company noted that the changes will probably lead to a reduction in the numbers reported to its users. Continue Reading
Accurate metadata is a critical component in streaming music. It’s how the correct people get paid the correct amounts, plus how listeners can find exactly what they want. Spotify has launched an effort to start crowd-sourcing some metadata from its listeners. Continue Reading
Recode’s Code Media Conference has had a few notable appearances from the audio and music space. New SoundCloud CEO Kerry Trainor recently took his turn in the hot seat, marking his first public interview since taking the helm at the audio company. Continue Reading
The New York Times’ morning news podcast The Daily will extend to radio, joining a cross-medium expansion trend. More than a simple syndication, The NYT team will produce a 30-minute version of the show offering a detailed dive into one or two big headlines from the day. Continue Reading
Anna Washenko (RAIN News editor) and Brad Hill (RAIN president) offer a few points of outlook for 2018. China, startups, rivalries, smart OS, playlists, cars, and more. Continue Reading
A RAIN News roundup of 2017’s most important stories, by month. We applied an upper limit of five stories per month to keep this feature concisely focused on the most crucial industry developments in online audio. Continue Reading