It’s too much to say that the RAIN News editorial office is obsessed with Star Trek, but everyone here is a fan. As with many other people around the world, the momentous death of Leonard Nimoy affected us strongly. To find a streaming audio tribute, we turned to a source that is obsessed with Star Trek: Kurt Hanson’s AccuRadio. We weren’t disappointed. Continue Reading
Triton Digital is announcing today that it will launch audience measurement for podcasts, in partnership with Edison Research. The new product, called Webcast Metrics On Demand (WCMOD), is slated to be released later this year. Continue Reading
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A six-minute blast of news you need to know in streaming audio.
THIS WEEK: Local Radio Freedom Act hits Congress; a new podcast network; Led Zeppelin loosens the leash; streaming audio growth projection; something new for Radioplayer; Russell Brand podcast; Starbucks leaves behind CDs. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group has lost two of its top digital executives this week. CEO Lucian Grainge said that UMG would “be making announcements in the coming days” in response to Wells’ exit in particular. Universal has been making some intriguing inroads into the digital space in recent months. Continue Reading
Björk has built the reputation as one of music’s more unique and innovative performers and songwriters, so it’s no surprise that many people listen up to hear her perspective on the industry today. In an interview with Fast Company, Björk addressed some of the challenges that go into releasing an album in today’s music market. She has opted to keep her new album off of Spotify over concerns about its freemium business model. Continue Reading
Spotify began rolling out a new update to its desktop listening platform this week. The big change is the addition of lyrics. This feature is powered by Musixmatch, and you can access the lyrics by clicking the new button next to the play bar. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web. Continue Reading
Brian Lakamp, who guided the rise of iHeartRadio, will leave iHeartMedia. Lakamp confirmed with RAIN News that he is exiting the company to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. Continue Reading
The Download on Podcasts is a new weekly feature sponsored by PodcastOne.
New and unusual programs you might not be familiar with. Continue Reading
Internet media brand Slate has launched a new podcast network called Panoply. We spoke with Andy Bowers, Executive Producer & Creator of Slate Podcasts, about the Panoply portfolio, business model, and the user experience he is striving for. Continue Reading
The recorded music industry in Denmark posted a record year on the back of a 50.5% increase in revenue from streaming services. With streaming accounting for 58.5% of the market’s total revenue, that boost helped secure industry growth of 1.8% for the year to 437 million Danish kroner (about $66.5 million). Continue Reading
In the early days of streaming, it wasn’t uncommon for big-name musicians to withhold their catalogs from online services. Led Zeppelin was a famed holdout, to the point where the band giving exclusive rights to Spotify back in 2013 was groundbreaking. So it’s a sign of the times that the Zep is expanding where you can hear its music. This week, the band opened up its library to listeners on several more platforms, including some that specialize in hi-def listening, such as Tidal and Deezer Elite. Continue Reading