Shazam posts a profit and breaks 1 billion downloads
Shazam announced two major milestones today. First, it has achieved profitability. Second, the Shazam mobile app has exceeded 1 billion downloads. Continue Reading
YouTube hires music industry veteran Lyor Cohen
Lyor Cohen is joining the YouTube team as global head of music. The long-time music industry veteran is the CEO and founder of 300 Entertainment. He has also held long tenures in the upper ranks at Warner Music Group and Def Jam, including presiding over large mergers at both labels. Continue Reading
The Download on Podcasts: The Download on Podcasting (Phase One)
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Ever since first getting wind of it, we have gotten a kick out of the name collision occurring between this column’s title and the new collaborative research project of DMR/Interactive and Texas A&M University: The Download on Podcasting. We also learned more about what the year-long research project is hoping to achieve. Continue Reading
Vevo chief revenue officer to step down at year’s end
Vevo’s chief revenue officer, Nic Jones, is departing the video distribution company. Jones had been with the business since 2011, and he will remain in the CRO position until the end of the year. Continue Reading
Digital audio advertising to double in two years, keyed to programmatic (SURVEY)
The percentage of media buying strategy dedicated to digital audio will grow from 7.5% today to 14.8% in two years, nearly a doubling of commitment to digital audio. That is the headline result of a newly released survey collaboration produced by AdAge and The Trade Desk. Continue Reading
RadioPlayer Canadian launch plan resurfaces
RadioPlayer is poised for a launch in Canada. This push to bring RadioPlayer to the new market comes through a licensing agreement coordinated by the new Canadian Association of Broadcasters. The service is currently slated to roll out as a web, iOS, and Android app. Continue Reading
Netflix exec joins Spotify board
Spotify has added a Netflix executive to its board of directors. Ted Sarandos is chief content officer for the video streaming platform, and his expertise could be helpful for Spotify in looking to further expand its own video properties. Continue Reading
Google Play Music launches in India
Google has launched several of its products in India. Google Play Music is one of the newly available services, but it’s only a partial version of what U.S. listeners have. Indian customers have not gotten the All Access streaming service and Play will not have radio or podcasts. Continue Reading
Quick Hits: Profiles of Rdio and Apple Music; could streaming platforms win a Grammy?
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Billboard takes on Rdio; BuzzFeed takes on Apple Music; streaming services as Grammy winners? Continue Reading
On the Move: Changes in the ranks at Deezer, Apple Music and NPR One
On the Move tracks hires, promotions, and other notable personnel changes within the online audio industry. Today’s moves include a former Spotify employee heading to Deezer, a new hire at Apple Music, and an editorial team update for NPR One. Continue Reading
Spotify technology strikes again with Daily Mix, a new personalized listening feature
Following last year’s Discover Weekly, and this year’s Release Radar, Spotify today injected a new auto-generated playlist feature called Daily Mix into iOS and Android mobile apps. It is a strong feature, musically and strategically. Continue Reading
Dash Radio adds real-time clean/explicit lyrics filter
Dash Radio has introduced a filter for switching between clean and explicit versions of a track. With this tool, listeners can instantly switch between versions in real time, even in the middle of a track. Continue Reading