Dash Radio has launched from its beta testing and is now operating live on the web and on mobile. The online radio platform has received $2 million of seed funding and already has a suite of 60 channels. It is available with apps on both iOS and Android. Continue Reading
SoundCloud has signed an agreement with Merlin that will enable the independent agency’s more than 20,000 labels and distributors to earn money on the platform. The people represented by Merlin will be able to earn royalties from the On SoundCloud advertising program and they will reportedly have involvement in the streaming platform’s upcoming subscription service as well. Terms of the partnership have not been disclosed. Continue Reading
L.A. Reid may be making a bid for shares of Rhapsody. The chairman and CEO of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, is allegedly working with a private equity investment group to purchase a large share of the streaming platform. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: YouTube’s Kyncl says all’s well with Music Key; who could Apple buy next?; Potential Sony class action following contract leak. Continue Reading
For most of their lives, sound recognition apps SoundHound and Shazam have been playing tag with each other. But recently, we’re starting to see each company carve out a more unique niche. Today SoundHound introduced a new personal assistant. The program is called Hound, and it will be a direct competitor to Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, or Google Now. Continue Reading
WNYC announced that it will take over the distribution of its shows Radiolab and On the Media. The public radio outlet will begin the distribution on Oct. 1, and will also self-distribute its new collaboration with the New Yorker. The move ends WYC’s distribution arrangement with NPR for those programs. Continue Reading
NPR has launched a new series dubbed “Streaming at the Tipping Point.” This collection of articles will address both the business and cultural impact of the transition to streaming, reflecting on the changes in how we experience music. One piece collected interviews with a range of individuals, including industry members, about what they thought a perfect world would be for streaming. Continue Reading
As programmatic advertising tools increasingly play a part in audio advertising, Marketron has begun executing software-driven radio spot transactions. The company executed what it calls “the first ever real time programmatic spot buy in the radio industry” last week. We spoke with CEO Jeff Haley Continue Reading
Apple has teamed with some impressive celebrity talent in the recent months, and according to the New York Post, Apple’s latest interest seems to be finding popular performers to work with its new music services. The top artist who has caught the tech company’s eye appears to be Drake. The rapper has allegedly been approached with a $19 million deal to work with Apple, including as a guest DJ for iTunes Radio, the Post reported Continue Reading
Spotify said that it adds nearly 60,000 new users per week in Australia and about 20,000 new users a week in New Zealand. It also said that a quarter of Australian’s population has at least tried out the platform. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, 30% of Spotify’s Aussie users pay for the premium subscription. The streaming service has been active in the Australian market for three years. Continue Reading
TargetSpot announced a step forward in its ability to deliver refined audience segments to advertisers via Nielsen’s PRIZM. PRIZM was originally developed by Claritas, which was acquired by Nielsen. Continue Reading