Apple and it’s reimagining of Beats Music is the subject of two new news items now floating around industry circles. First, MusicAlly reported that Apple is currently paying music journalists to supply the editorial snippets detailing its curated playlists. Second, a report from Bloomberg said that Apple is reaching out to artists in an effort to get exclusive content for its streaming service. Continue Reading
Spotify is reportedly working on raising $400 million in funding, unnamed sources told The Wall Street Journal. This funding round values the company at $8.4 billion. Industry leaders have been speculating as to when Spotify may pursue an IPO for a long time, but the streaming service has not given any hint about a plan to sell. Continue Reading
Triton Digital has received certification for inclusion of Nielsen audience measurement technology in Triton streaming audio players, the company announced this afternoon. This development enables Nielsen to measure online streaming metrics of its broadcast clients through Triton’s streaming suite on desktop, Android, and iOS. Continue Reading
Advertising software company WideOrbit announced an agreement with Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS), to make SBS’s digital ad inventory available to marketers on WideOrbit’s programmatic platform, WO Programmatic – Digital. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Millennials, social media, and big data; indie labels’ snapshot of digital music; online radio listening by age. Continue Reading
Amazon has expanded its Prime Music app on the Android operating system to include its new stations feature. The app now includes hundreds of Pandora-style lean-back listening channels without advertisements. Continue Reading
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THIS WEEK: Streaming exclusives don’t stay exclusive; Webcast listening reaches new record; when a music label and a bank hook up; milestone moment for 8tracks; Pandora pays more than half of all webcast royalties Continue Reading
AdLarge added another podcast deal to its growing portfolfio of exclusive ad-representation agreements for on-demand audio, this one with RotoWire for its line of fantasy sports podcasts. RotoWire produces daily podcasts for fantasy sports players in football, baseball, and basketball, plus weekly shows in audio and video. Continue Reading
Playlist radio service 8tracks is opening its first in-house music library today, in partnership with CD Baby, INgrooves, and indie labels. The initiative promises to streamline playlist-building for 8tracks “DJs,” while tightening its ties with the independent artist community. Continue Reading
The Department of Justice has been engaged in a review of consent decrees for more than a year. These rules govern the blanket licenses that performing rights organizations negotiate on behalf of music publishers. Billboard has a piece on the changes the department is reported to be considering, according to its unnamed sources. Continue Reading
In a far-reaching agreement, iHeartMedia and its subsidiary Katz Media Group have partnered with Jelli, the automated radio advertising platform, for programmatic ad-buying of broadcast radio inventory. RAIN News spoke to Jelli CEO Mike Dougherty. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group has entered into a partnership with Bradesco, a Brazilian bank. Bradesco Music will stream audio and video from Universal’s catalog and deliver music-related editorial through an application for both desktop computers and mobile devices. Continue Reading