Huawei, the China-based technology company, has launched its own mobile music service in Europe. Huawei Music is a streaming music app designed to work with the business’ smartphones and tablets. The European launch is backed by licensing deals with the three major labels, and the app’s library includes 1.2 million albums and more than 50 million tracks. Continue Reading
After a lengthy process that seemed at many points like it would come to naught, Vivendi has officially sold a stake in Universal Music Group to a consortium led by Tencent. The completed deal is for a 10% stake in the major label, with the option to acquire another 10% at the same valuation. Continue Reading
Spotify has been taking a meandering path for the launch of its standalone Kids app. The program is designed for children, with no ads and with age-appropriate content. While the app is a standalone piece of software, it requires a Spotify Premium Family subscription to use. Continue Reading
Spotify had several newsworthy moments this week. Here’s the latest from the streaming service. The company has created a new option for listeners to directly support artists who are losing gigs and revenue to the coronavirus pandemic. Algoriddim, the maker of popular app Djay, announced that Spotify was revoking access to the program and its compatriots. And new reports that a Korean launch is near. Continue Reading
Jeff Ulster, Chief Technology and Content Officer at TPX, pointed us to the infographic below, made by TPX to facilitate podcast listening for people who don’t quite know how to get started. “They make great company while keeping your social… Continue Reading
YouTube Music is continuing to broaden its feature set. The latest update is an expansion of its lyrics display. Access to a tab with the full lyrics to a song was introduced in the YouTube Music Android app a few weeks ago. Now, YouTube is making the feature available to all users. Continue Reading
SoundCloud is expanding its premium subscription plan to new markets in Europe. The SoundCloud Go+ platform is now available in four Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Continue Reading
TuneCore CEO Scott Ackerman will exit the digital distributor on April 15. He has been at the helm of TuneCore since 2012, and spent the two years prior as its chief operating officer. Continue Reading
Yesterday we reported on three new measurements of podcast listening during the shelter-at-home phase of the coronavirus emergency. Today, we dive into podcast creation in the stay-at-home era. Most of the newly launched shows are individual efforts, but some established media brands and networks have joined the Covid-19 launch frenzy. Continue Reading
Podtrac sent over some revealing charts of podcast audience and download trending, shining light on how listeners are consuming podcasts during the Covid-19 crisis. These charts will be updated weekly and released publicly. We are sharing the first round here, along with Podtrac explanations. Continue Reading
BBC Sounds has introduced an app for connected televisions. The app rollout is beginning on YouView and Virgin Media devices, but will launch on other platforms in the future. Continue Reading
The New York Times Company has acquired Audm, a startup that creates audio versions of long-form journalism for subscription access. Founders Ryan Wegner, the director of spoken word audio production, and Christian Brink, director of product, will join the Times Company along with the rest of the Audm team. Continue Reading