Pandora has introduced a new feature called Artist Audio Messaging that will allow musicians to directly communicate with their fans. Lenny Kravitz is one of the first musicians to have access to the feature, and he used it to introduce a new song. The service is getting a small rollout for now, but the company said it aims to scale it up to more people over time. Continue Reading
PodcastOne has haired Dana Senit, formerly with TargetSpot, as its new Sales Manager, Western Region. Senit was with TargetSpot for nearly seven years. Senit has a 20-year career in sales and account management. Continue Reading
Midroll Media announced today that Chris Bannon, currently VP of Content Development and Production at public radio’s WNYC, will join Midroll as Chief Content Officer starting March 16. RAIN News spoke to Chris Bannon and Midroll Media CEO Adam Sachs about the appointment and the opportunity in podcasting. Continue Reading
The Download on Podcasts is a new weekly feature sponsored by PodcastOne.
2015 is widely proclaimed to be the Year of the Podcast. A lot of media uptake hinges on Serial, last year’s breakout hit program. But momentum has been building in deeper layers of the audio industry. Podcasting’s future has never looked brighter — for radio professionals, content entrepreneurs, and amateur webcasters. Continue Reading
Deezer has been busy making deals with telecommunications companies over the past few months. The latest one is a partnership with Tele2 in Lithuania. Under the terms of that agreement, Tele2 customers will get free access to Deezer’s music streaming service for three months. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: what streaming should borrow from radio; SoundCloud audience infographic; SXSW hosts a hackathon. Continue Reading
When it comes to music curation, computers and algorithms can only take you so far. The true music geeks want to have a human touch to their discovery. That’s a niche that new service called Domino.fm aims to fill. The property aggregates content from various music press outlets, and gives fans a place to both read articles and listen to the songs they’re about at the same time. Continue Reading
TuneCore has been developing the feature set it makes available to artists, and the company laid out its plans for further improving artist exposure with live shows and special events. Its 2015 plans include a web series called Convenience Store Sessions and a SXSW showcase. Continue Reading
Qtrax is aiming for a relaunch some time in 2015 as an ad-supported streaming service that will stop piracy and better compensate artists. CEO Allan Klepfisz talked a big game in an interview with The Telegraph, calling those goals “two paradigm shifts.” But the news of Qtrax’s resurgence has been met by the music press with mostly skepticism. Continue Reading
SoundExchange announced two new additions to its executive ranks. Mark Eisenberg will serve as senior vice president of strategic initiatives, while Jacqueline Peterson will take on the job of senior vice president of communications. Continue Reading
Google appears to be preparing a new YouTube feature called YouTube Radio. The description matches an existing YouTube Music experience called YouTube Mix. The new feature might be a subtle tweak, or a key new YouTube experience. Continue Reading
Quick news items and worthy reads from around the web:
Mark Mulligan on Rhapsody
iBiquity on HD Radio potential Continue Reading