Smart speakers are projected to reach 56.3 million global shipments this year, according to research by British firm Canalys. Amazon Echo and Google Home devices are expected to stay at the top of the field, but more products will likely enter the competition. The United States is expected to be the top market with an estimated 38.4 million units in 2018 and will likely remain at the top through 2020. Continue Reading
Facebook has landed a licensing agreement with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. This deal allows users of the social media network to post videos with music from Sony/ATV’s catalog in the background. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed, but the companies said that Sony/ATV’s songwriters will have the chance to earn royalties when their compositions are used on Facebook or Instagram. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio announced several news items at CES 2018 in Las Vegas. The company said it now has more than 110 million registered users for its audio service. It also shared developments related to connected cars, wearables, and voice controls. Continue Reading
The Amazon Alexa voice control platform will be getting integrations with Windows 10 PCs from multiple manufacturers. HP, Lenovo, Asus, and Acer all said they will have Alexa support in some of their laptops and desktops being released this year. The companion app for using Alexa on those machines is slated for release in the spring of 2018. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s Future of Radio is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: Reflections on small-scale DAB in the UK and how it might work. Much more from the international audio industry. Continue Reading
SoundCloud drew some heat recently when some users noticed changes in their audio quality. Select people noticed a shift from 128 kbps MP3 to 64 kbps Opus when using the SoundCloud streaming platform. The company has since clarified that these experiences are part of frequent tests it makes of audio, but are not part of any overall change to its technology or listening experience. Continue Reading
Tidal is the latest streaming music service to ink a partnership with Dubset, a specialist in licensing for DJ sets and remixes. This deal will allow the rightsholders to be paid when their work is used by a producer or DJ in their adaptations and other creative work. Continue Reading
Nielsen shared its 2017 report covering the Canadian music market, and the narrative falls in line with its data for the United States. Total music consumption in the country increased 13.6% to 49.5 million units. Hip-hop and R&B were the fastest-growing genres in Canada. Continue Reading
Spotify announced that it has surpassed 70 million subscribers. The news came in a tweet from the streaming company on Thursday afternoon. That’s an exciting milestone with a direct listing in the works, but the departure of Chief Content Officer Stefan Blom could give investors pause. Continue Reading
Edison Research, the leading consumer research organization for understanding how Americans listen to audio, has greeted the new year with three growth announcements. A slew of promotions creates a larger executive team. Newly hired staff is on board to accommodate Edison’s growing research clientele. And the company has purchased office space which doubles its square footage. Continue Reading
Jimmy Iovine may be departing Apple this year. Sources told Billboard that the long-time music executive plans to leave in August 2018 when his shares in the tech company have fully vested. Apple has declined to comment on the rumors. Continue Reading
Roku is elbowing its way into the voice and smart speaker space. The company, best known for its streaming video set-top boxes, announced that it plans to launch its own voice assistant this year. Also, Roku said it is expanding its licensing program to include soundbar and smart speaker manufacturers. Continue Reading