Spotify has hired a new exec as head of investor relations, the latest signal that an IPO is in the streaming service’s future. The new addition is Paul Vogel, who joins Spotify after most recently running Barclays’ Internet and media research group. Continue Reading
8tracks is now accepting investments in its Regulation A round. The crowdfunded investment round is officially open on SeedInvest. This type of SEC-regulated round allows anybody to invest in the playlisting company, buying ownership for as little as $100. Continue Reading
Merlin, a digital rights agency for independent labels, has released the results of its 2016 member survey. Digital income supplied a majority of overall business for 62% of respondents, up from about half of the respondents last year. Streaming is a core element in that digital growth. Continue Reading
Beginning this year, the Recording Academy will be able to consider streaming-only albums for Grammy recognition. The organization’s previous rules required a physical or digital release to be eligible for the awards. Continue Reading
PodcastOne announced that Jim Berk has come aboard as Chief Executive Officer. Berk comes from Participant media, where he was CEO for nine years. PodcastOne founder Norm Pattiz maintains his role as Executive Chairman, and Kit Gray continues as President. the announcement signals further expansion. (Video: Norm Pattiz interview at RAIN Summit West.) Continue Reading
One pre-1972 copyright case that has escaped broad awareness is Capital Records vs. Vimeo, the high-end video platform. Vimeo has just won an appeal that absolves it from treating pre-1972 music content differently from post-1972 music content. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web. Today: Internet radio’s history; the threat of Amazon; the future of podcasting. Continue Reading
Twitter has confirmed that it has made a capital investment in SoundCloud. Re/code is reporting anonymous sources who say the investment is worth about $70-million. So continues the long, unsteady relationship of micro-blogging service Twitter with music. Continue Reading
Rhapsody surprised the industry with an un-forewarned announcement that it would consolidate around its subsidiary brand Napster, which it acquired in January, 2012. Napster has been the public-facing brand of the Rhapsody on-demand music service in non-U.S. markets. The announcement is bare-bones. Napster is a trademark with a rich history. Continue Reading
This year’s music news has been notable for debates and lawsuits about music licensing, rights ownership, and royalty payments. The underlying issue is a complex and inscrutable layering of music ownership. Because of the dense and dark music ownership tangle, digital services cannot always identify correct parties for payment when songs are streamed. An exceptionally broad coalition of institutions has announced an initiative to create a global solution. Continue Reading
TuneCore announced that its artists earned $42 million in Q1 2016, a 16% increase from the year-ago period. Streaming platforms posted steady growth in earnings in this quarterly update. Continue Reading
Rhapsody/Napster is planning to make some cuts to its team as part of restructuring efforts. Hypebot received an emailed statement from the company’s CEO Mike Davis confirming the layoffs. Continue Reading