The arrival of The Beatles on streaming services felt like Christmas come early, but none of the platforms that got the release are available in South Korea. Beginning Feb. 29, though, Universal Music Korea will release The Beatles’ music to ten streaming services in the country. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Spotify not that into exclusives; Pandora as disruptor; MMF seeks streaming equity stance from Universal; a look at musical crowdfunding success. Continue Reading
Spotify announced that it will revive the Spotify House at SXSW in Austin with the support of several business partners. Expect to see tie-ins with Chromecast, PlayStation, SoulCycle, and more at this year’s Spotify House. Continue Reading
MusicWatch has released new research on the various forms of music piracy, how music consumers obtain music without generating revenue, and to what extent they do. A complicated profile of tech-savvy, copyright-confused consumer emerges, and a new descriptor: “badquisition.” Continue Reading
8tracks announced an update in how international listeners will be able to access its playlisting service. The company said that outside of the U.S. and Canada, listeners would only be able to experience playlists by YouTube video playback. The big change is that international listeners will not be able to stream from the iOS or Android mobile apps anymore. Continue Reading
Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton spoke at the Code/Media conference, sharing the major label perspective on streaming and where it’s headed. He endorsed the concept of windowing, where fans can pay more for quicker access to content. Continue Reading
Indie music service Drip announced plans to close on March 18. For five years, Drip provided a platform for direct-to-fan subscription music. Artists and labels used the flexible service to distribute exclusive content to fans, offer discounted event admission, sell special edition merchandise, and more. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group reported its 2015 financial results, which demonstrated continued growth for streaming and subscription services. The two formats doubled their share to account for 24% of the company’s total recorded music revenue. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web, all focused on podcasts and podcasting. Read on for questions about podcasts vs advertisers; Nielsen talking audience data; and why Gimlet Media doesn’t have an app. Continue Reading
ZenoRadio, a specialist in radio services for the U.S. diaspora communities, announced the launch of an in-house broadcasting platform debuting today. ZenoLive offers audio broadcast tools with extensive interactive features for smartphones or laptops. Continue Reading
Australian retailer JB Hi-Fi is shuttering its streaming service Now. The company informed subscribers that its Now platform will close on March 17. No reason was given. Continue Reading
Vevo has been taking steps to differentiate its service from YouTube, and its CEO has said that the company is planning to launch a subscription tier for its videos. Speaking at the Code/Media conference, Erik Huggers said that adding a premium offering was likely in the future. Continue Reading