Quincy Jones is helping to create a new digital hub for jazz enthusiasts. Qwest TV is an online library for video content across the genre. The subscription site is slated to go live on December 15. Continue Reading
Deezer is making its debut in Japan. The streaming service is rolling out its Hi-Fi tier, which offers high-resolution, CD-quality audio files to listeners, beginning December 8. The subscription will cost 1,960 yen ($17) a month. Continue Reading
In the past few years, as streaming services grew to hold larger shares of music industry revenue and consumer listening hours, the key drivers have been mainstream genres. Pop and hip-hop usually feature in the lists of top performers. This week, we’ve collected several developments focused on classical music in the streaming space. Continue Reading
Google and Amazon are at odds over access, marking a very public division between two tech giants that could cause interruptions for consumers. The two companies had appeared to resolve a question around access to YouTube on the Amazon Echo Show in late November, but Google has reversed course. Today, Google announced that it would not allow YouTube access on either the Amazon Echo Show or the Amazon Fire TV. Continue Reading
XAPPmedia has entered a partnership with Internet broadcasting and streaming company SurferNETWORK. It will help SurferNETWORK clients to create custom skills and use voice controls on platforms such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Continue Reading
Warner Music Group posted its financial results for the fourth quarter and full financial year. The results showed another year where streaming helped drive growth for a major music company. Warner did not break out its streaming revenue, but the digital shares include that performance. Continue Reading
Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist was one of the streaming service’s first forays into personalized music recommendations. Since its debut in 2015, the setup has changed little: every Monday, the platform presents 30 songs chosen based on each person’s listening habits. Now, Spotify is testing a more hands-on feature for listeners, with an option to mark songs in Discover Weekly that you like or dislike. Continue Reading
Amazon announced a new option for its Alexa voice-activated assistant designed for companies and enterprise operations. Alexa for Business can assist with tasks such as starting conference calls, scheduling meetings, and ordering office supplies. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio Canada has unveiled an enhanced version of its app that adds support for several more compatible platforms. The free service is now available on Apple Watch, Apple CarPlay, Android Wear, and Android Auto. It has also been made available for Sonos wireless speakers. iHeartRadio Canada said more platforms will be announced in the coming weeks. Continue Reading
Indian streaming music service Gaana announced that it has 50 million monthly active users. “It’s a proud moment for Team Gaana, not many home-grown brands have achieved this kind of milestone and very few brands in the entertainment space has been able to reach to this kind of scale in India,” COO Prashan Agarwal said. Continue Reading
Kobalt has signed a music licensing deal in China with NetEase Cloud Music. This arrangement will see the Chinese company take responsibility for licensing and distributing the Kobalt catalog and for the catalog of its AWAL recorded music operation. The deal covers more than 600,000 songs and recordings. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Highlights from the Third Coast. How much do analytics matter in podcast advertising? Too much of a good thing is a bad thing, even when it’s holiday music. Continue Reading