RAIN Hotspots: Week of March 10 – 14
The five most-read articles last week: iHeartRadio’s news bulletin; Amazon’s possible music service; Mixcloud’s ambitions; Neil Young’s very successful bad idea; RAIN Poll results. Continue Reading
News
Digital dollars lead 2013 revenue growth for broadcast radio
The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) today released a 2013 revenue report for broadcast radio. By a wide margin, digital revenue led other income segments in year-over-year comparisons. Overall revenues were flat in 2013, when examined through two lenses: full year-over-year, and Q4 2013 vs. Q4 2012. Digital is growing fast from a small percentage of total radio revenue — 5% in 2013. Continue Reading
Amazon reportedly inching toward a music service (SECOND UPDATE)
Amazon is reportedly negotiating with music labels about an Amazon-branded music service. According to Recode’s sources, the talks are not flying along because Amazon is asking for more favorable licensing terms than those negotiated by music-only services. Continue Reading
Rdio acquires Dhingana; will expand to India’s music market
In an interesting and opportunistic maneuver, U.S.-based music service Rdio has acquired teetering Indian streaming platform Dhingana. Dhingana will power Rdio’s India launch sometime this year. The Indian music business is estimated at $170-million, mostly comprised of Bollywood (or “filmi”) songs. Around the edges, Indipop, regional music, devotional songs, and infiltrations of Western pop are additional categories. Continue Reading
Streaming music chief says streaming music will never be a primary medium, then takes it back
The General Manager of Rhapsody-owned Napster Europe caused some raised eyebrows, confused head-scratching, and probably an internal memo or two, when he was quoted in an Inquirer interview saying that streaming platforms will always be mainly discovery tools for buying CDs. The remark clearly didn’t play well, so Schliesche went back to The Inquirer to revise the record. Continue Reading
Apple might (and should) make iTunes Radio a stand-alone app
Currently, iTunes Radio is packed into the default Music app, the icon for which which cannot be removed from the iPhone/iPod/iPad desktop. The iTunes Radio brand is not spelled out anywhere in the system. As a review point of the service and its accessibility, we think iTunes Radio should exist as a separate identity in iOS. Continue Reading
Rdio will terminate its relationship with The Echo Nest
In what could be described as the first crack in The Echo Nest’s music-powering empire, Rdio CEO Anthony Bay told CNBC that his music service would end its relationship with the music-data company. The Echo Nest was acquired by Spotify last week, and Bay doesn’t want his user metrics visible to a competitor. Continue Reading
Beats Music raises $60-million funding round
Money is pouring into online audio.Recently-launched Beats Music has completed a new funding round totaling at least $60-million. (The exact amount is undisclosed.) News of this investment comes in the wake of Beats competitor Spotify acquiring a $200-million line of credit, and acquiring music-data leader The Echo Nest for a reported $100-million. Continue Reading
Spotify arranges $200M line of credit, possibly positioning for IPO
The company is silent, but Spotify reportedly has arranged a $200-million line of credit. In addition, Spotify has $538-million total venture funding. When so much external money is in a company which carries an unprofitable balance sheet, it sometimes foretells a “liquidity event” such as an IPO. Continue Reading
The SXSW Experience: Interactive, Day 1 photo gallery
M. Luke McDonell is a writer, artist, and photographer living in San Francisco. A veteran of South by Southwest, she is contributing daily bulletins from the 2014 show. This SXSW photo gallery is from the first day of SXSW Interactive. Continue Reading
RAIN Weekend Perspective: March 3 – 7
Weekend Perspective is a quick and consie catch-up of the last week’s most important developments in Internet radio and online audio. iTunes Radio advertises on FM … Triton Digital receives local-ratings accreditation … The INfinite Dial 2014 research survey … Apple’s CarPlay … Spotify acquires The Echo Nest. Continue Reading
RAIN Hotspots: Week of March 3 – 7
The five most-read articles of last week: iTunes Radio advertising on … FM radio; Triton Digital local ratings system for streaming media gains accreditation; The INfinite Dial 2014 reviews; Apple announces CarPlay; Spotify acquires The Echo Nest. Continue Reading