YouTube Red reportedly has 1.5 million subscribers as of late summer. That’s the figure shared by The Verge, citing multiple sources familiar with the video platform’s all-in-one subscription program. According to the sources, another 1 million people are signed up for free trials, but are not paying. Continue Reading
The Open Music Initiative announced the addition of 80 new members. OMI is the project of Berklee College of Music’s Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship. It aims to create an open protocol for industry-wide creative rights management and royalty distribution. Continue Reading
Radiotopia has selected Ear Hustle as the winner of its Podquest competition. The show shares stories from life in prison. It is the work of San Quentin State Prison inmates Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams and artist/professor Nigel Poor. Continue Reading
Napster announced multiple partnerships today across several industries. It now has deals with a mobile company, a headphone manufacturer, and an airline. Continue Reading
Podcast network Gimlet Media announced its new show lineup, and it’s a reflection of the current zeitgeist in this form of audio content. The new programs are Undone, Homecoming, and Crimetown. Continue Reading
SoundCloud has signed a licensing deal with pan-European rights hub ICE (the International Copyright Enterprise). This multi-territory arrangement will allow rightsholders across the continent to receive royalties from the audio company’s services, including the SoundCloud Go subscription tier. Continue Reading
Edison Research has presented the latest installment of its Share of Ear series. The new report is titled Share of Music and it focuses on American adults’ music listening habits. This analysis reveals ongoing changes to where and when AM/FM radio still holds the largest share, as well as who is most frequently tuning in. Continue Reading
Spotify has acquired Preact for an unspecified price. Preact is a cloud-based company that helps subscription-driven businesses acquire new subscribers and retain existing ones. Continue Reading
Many reports and statistics over the past year have pointed to a demonstrable shift in music consumption toward access via streaming and away from ownership, either in physical or digital formats. The latest data point in this ongoing trend comes from Billboard’s charts. Continue Reading
Sonos’ partnership with Spotify is getting a new layer. The companies have launched the public beta for controlling music on the wireless speakers directly from the Spotify app. With this beta, anyone on the same wifi network as the Sonos speaker can take control of the music choices. Continue Reading
Sony reported its financial results from the second quarter, with the parent company posting some declines while its music division recorded growth. Sony Music Entertainment reported revenue up 8% on-year to 150 billion yen ($1.49 billion). Continue Reading
YouTube has entered a licensing deal with German collection society GEMA. The two parties had been at an impasse since 2009, meaning that German viewers would often have music videos containing GEMA repertoire blocked. Details of the arrangement have not been disclosed, but they seem to have taken immediate effect. Continue Reading