News

Bandcamp announces formal launch of artist-based subscriptions

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Bandcamp has rolled out an artist subscription for all musicians on its platform. CEO Ethan Diamond spoke with The Guardian about the new feature prior to the official announcement at the SF MusicTech Summit. “The whole motivation here is that when you get to a point that you love an artist – when you go from liking them to being a real true fan of theirs – at some point you just want everything they make,” he said. Continue Reading →

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Composed, a new classical music streaming service, launches in UK

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Classical music fans in the UK are getting a new option for keeping up with their favorite symphonies and sonatas thanks to Classic FM and Decca. The companies have partnered to launch a classical music streaming service called Composed. The subscription-based model offers streaming based on mood, composer, or curated playlist, according to Music Week. Continue Reading →

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iHeartMedia proposes reducing webcast royalty rates by 80%

Posted on by Brad Hill

by Brad Hill

iHeartMedia has proposed reducing the royalty rate webcasters pay to artists and labels, cutting the existing rate set for terrestrial webcasters by 80 percent. The suggested royalty amount is less than half of Pandora’s suggested rate, which in turn is about half the rate suggested by SoundExchange, which represents music labels. iHeart’s argument is based on its negotiated deal with Warner Music Group, which provides lower royalty rates in exchange for greater exposure of Warner music. Continue Reading →

Bono and other music leaders talk streaming’s positive future at Web Summit

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Several leaders from the music industry spoke last week at the Web Summit in Dublin about the role of streaming for musicians and listeners. One panel included several managers discussing the current environment for music. Jonathan Dickins, who represents popular singer Adele, spoke favorably about the role of streaming. Another panel from the Summit focused on Music and Movies in the 21st Century. At that discussion, U2’s Bono also spoke out in support of a streaming music economy. Continue Reading →

Spotify Connect lets your phone be a musical remote control

Posted on by RAIN News Staff

Spotify introduced a new use for its Spotify Connect feature, letting listeners use their mobile devices as a remote control for music playing from a desktop. Once you’ve linked up your computer, you can use the mobile app to skip songs and change tracks from the phone or tablet. through this and other features, Spotify seeks to keep users connected to the platform anywhere, and through multiple devices. Continue Reading →

Streaming talk content gets another boost: Scribd adds audiobook subscription service

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Scribd, a digital book service, launched an all-you-can-read ebook subscription program last year. Now, it has added an audiobook component to its offerings. The plan costs $8.99 a month and offers unlimited reading and listening within its catalog. It currently has more than half a million ebooks and more than 30,000 audiobooks available. The rollout of audiobooks within Scribd’s service highlights a few of the recent trends that the entertainment and media industries should be keeping tabs on. Continue Reading →

Rumor Fact(ory): Microsoft may launch music locker to supplement streaming service

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Earlier this week, sources hinted that Microsoft may be working on a music locker service. Windows Central reported that the company’s cloud storage service, OneDrive, will now automatically create a music folder for your account. This folder would store a person’s own music collection, but sources said it would likely also connect with the existing Xbox Music service. Continue Reading →