Voice assistants have been gaining in popularity, but many people are cautious about the technology for privacy reasons. When a microphone is constantly on and waiting to respond to a possible command, is it recording any and all other audio? And what happens with those recordings? Continue Reading
Spotify has hired Cameron Farrelly as its new global creative director. In this capacity, he will oversee the creative vision for artist and music marketing, along with developing campaigns, activations, and original intellectual property. Continue Reading
Rolling Stone has launched its own interactive charts to monitor music popularity. The charts are powered by BuzzAngle Music, which rebranded to the name Alpha Data following an investment from Rolling Stone parent Penske Media Company last July. Continue Reading
In a RAIN Summit and RAIN News first, we are pleased to offer a complete transcript of a Fireside Chat session from the RAIN Digital Audio Advertising Summit in Chicago, June 4. The team at AdsWizz, a Presenting Sponsor and participant in the onstage conversation, created the transcript for RAIN News readers. Continue Reading
Tidal added new interactive credits to display the production roles for tracks. The credits include information about songwriters, producers, engineers, and session musicians. It will let you pick “View All” to display all credits or to limit the display to a particular role. Continue Reading
RAIN News has confirmed that Brian Benedik, currently VP and Global Head of Revenue at Spotify, will leave the company at the end of September. The departure is wholly Benedik’s decision, and the company is starting a search for his successor. Continue Reading
Spotify has a new exclusive podcast on the horizon, and its tapping well-known talents yet again. The upcoming show is called I’m Gonna Be Kevin Bacon, and Kevin Bacon will be in the story playing himself. Continue Reading
Whooshkaa announced some updates to its podcast hosting plans. First, it added features to its Forever Free option. Second, it launched a new, paid option with more comprehensive tools. Continue Reading
IDC has released a new report about smart home technology in Europe. According to the analysis, the European smart home market grew by 23.9%, with 21.3 million units shipped in the first quarter of 2019. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio, the second-biggest podcast publisher in the U.S. according to Podtrac, has unveiled a weekly chart, titled Podcasts Top 100. It showcases the top performers on its platform. A weekly list, it will be updated every Monday. We do the inevitable comparison with Podtrac, noting factors which define each list. Continue Reading
China has been a market of interest and growth for audio over the past year, but that rise may not continue unchecked. The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered 26 audio-focused apps to close or enter talks with regulators on Friday. Continue Reading
Spotify announced today that it is ending its beta test of direct distribution for independent artists. The streaming service conducted a trial for nearly a year, which allowed indies to upload their music directly to Spotify rather than relying on a third-party service. Continue Reading