Kickstarter announced that Meredith Graves is joining the crowdfunding platform as its new director of music. Graves was most recently at MTV News, and she has experience as a writer, musician, and label founder. Continue Reading
YouTube has announced its new streaming music service, and the platform will launch on May 22. YouTube Music will be a free new app and desktop player with the option for a YouTube Music Premium paid subscription. The move comes with changes across the video platform’s other entertainment properties, but it doesn’t seem to be entirely what was foreshadowed in the lead-up to today’s announcement. Continue Reading
YouTube is updating its system for crediting music in video uploads. The video platform is adding a new section of information called “Music in this video” that will be applied to both official music videos from performers and to fan-uploaded content. Continue Reading
Triton Digital announced that its a2x programmatic audio advertising marketplace will integrate with IQM, a data solutions provider specialized in ‘voter matching’ for progressive politicians and causes. Continue Reading
Podcast technology company Acast has teamed up with production company Wisebuddah to host a contest called LaunchPod for aspiring UK podcasters. Anyone with an idea can participate the contest, and submissions are open until 9 pm on June 18. Continue Reading
The final nail is in the coffin for a long-time patent troll. Personal Audio had claimed the intellectual property rights to podcasting, launching cases against influential players from the corporate CBS to the individual comedian Adam Carolla to try to collect licensing fees. Continue Reading
Merlin has opted to cash in its entire stake in Spotify. The independent label network acquired a 1% holding in the company back in 2009, but that share has been diluted over years of additional external investment. The group did not disclose the value of the shares sold. Continue Reading
Apple Music has already climbed to more than 50 million subscribers. CEO Tim Cook shared the latest stat in an interview with Bloomberg Television. The streaming music platform had reported 40 million subscribers just a month ago. 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
DIY podcasting app Anchor is crossing over into the broadcast world. The company is launching a show on Sirius XM called This Week on Anchor. It will air on Sirius XM Insight Channel 121 on Saturdays at 7 am Eastern and 7 pm Eastern, and Sundays at 3 pm Eastern. Continue Reading
Podcasting has been a hot topic for the entertainment world, and as the audio format grows in popularity, more and more businesses and investors have sprung up to take advantage of the latest trend. The newest company to try and assert itself into the niche is Luminary Media. 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