RAIN Enterprises is looking for an industry-savvy sales expert to manage accounts for RAIN Summits and RAIN Publications. We are looking for someone with strong sales skills who can work independently. Knowledge of the audio marketplace, broadcast, digital or both,… Continue Reading
Spotify has long recognized that social, in its many dimensions, is a key differentiator for the music service. Spotify’s extensive (some say intrusive) sharing features set it apart not only from competing listening platforms, but represent a “killer app” that… Continue Reading
Some noise is happening around Spotify’s recently-announced and felicitously-named Spotlight feature, which aspires to highlight new and exclusive music. Today’s view of Spotlight features Drake and Arcade Fire, so it’s not exactly bleeding-edge alt. Two up-and-comers, Haim and Lorde, are… Continue Reading
Songza partners with Foursquare: As part of its real-life focus, Internet streamer Songza has partnered with social site Foursquare. Songza users who “check in” at certain locations receive rewards — badges, access to special playlists, and temporary no-charge access to… Continue Reading
Rep. Melvin Watt yesterday introduced the Free Market Royalty Act (FMRA) which would address the lack of parity in statutory royalty requirements levied on terrestrial broadcasters and Internet radio services. (Read Rep. Watt’s statement and rationale here.) By law, broadcast… Continue Reading
Free Market Royalty Act: As promised (or threatened, depending on one’s perspective), on Monday morning Rep. Mel Watt introduced a bill that would have broadcast radio pay artist royalties, evening the playing field (again, depending on vantage) for Internet radio… Continue Reading
There are two big differences between Napster-style file-sharing and subscription music streaming like Rhapsody and Spotify. The first is that unauthorized file-sharing is, you know, unauthorized. Ad hoc sharing on peer-to-peer platforms infringes copyright, harms musicians to some degree (to… Continue Reading
Pink Floyd drummer uncharacteristically praises music streaming. The iconic rock band has been a staunch and excoriating opponent of Pandora in the past, criticising the leading Internet radio platform for seeking lower royalty payouts. Speaking independently of the band, drummer… Continue Reading
Creative curation is Internet radio’s latest programming vogue. Songza, for which “life moment” playlists are the cornerstone of the service’s “Concierge” programming strategy, emblemizes the approach of serving the user in action, furnishing a music stream that matches daypart, activity,… Continue Reading
The ability to pivot, moving in a new direction from the same vantage, is crucial in basketball and business. Livio, whose acquisition by Ford has lit up the connected-car niche, pivoted adroitly from making internet radio devices to writing car… Continue Reading
Steven Kritzman, SVP of Sales for Pandora, was on this week’s Advertising Week panel which presented new survey research titled “The New MainStream,” a study measuring adoption of Internet radio among Americans who are online. (As a side point, see… Continue Reading
Amazon caused a media ripple yesterday when it connected its previously independent Amazon Cloud Player with its MP3 Store. The Cloud Player is an online music locker where customers can store their owned tracks (whether purchased from Amazon or not),… Continue Reading