News

Apple discontinues two iPod products as smartphones continue to rule mobile music

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Apple’s mobile devices have been keystones of its product family for much of its present-day business. In 2017, we are seeing the shifts in where Apple is putting its resources and what it views as trends for music, where the company has long worked to position itself as a leader. First, this year marked the 10-year anniversary of the iPhone. Second, Apple has discontinued both the iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle. Continue Reading →

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RAIN Summit Austin: New Opportunities for 2017 and Beyond

Posted on by Brad Hill

We are in a milestone year for audio. 2017 has been called “The year of the podcast” and “Podcasting’s breakthrough year.” At the same time, Smart Speakers are rocketing into consumer consciousness … and into their homes. RAIN Summit Austin is the gathering to know more about new audio technology, new listening habits, the latest consumer trends, and how radio is taking advantage of the brightest opportunities. Continue Reading →

YouTube Red and Google Play Music to combine, but details are scarce

Posted on by Anna Washenko

YouTube Head of Music Lyor Cohen said that Google Music Play and YouTube Red will be combined into a single property. Cohen confirmed the eventual merger during a session at the New Music Seminar event in New York. He said the move would help educate consumers and increase the company’s subscriber numbers. Continue Reading →

Jay-Z, a new album, and Spotify’s ongoing journey toward artist-friendly distribution

Posted on by Anna Washenko

For the release of his newest work, Jay-Z opted to gate the album to his Tidal streaming service for one week. But even after distributing the music to most other digital platforms, Spotify still does not have 4:44. That may not be a cheap decision for the artist, and it also shows that Spotify has still not shaken some long-held assumptions among A-list performers. Continue Reading →