On the Move: Updates at ASCAP; downsizing at NPR Labs
On the Move tracks hires, promotions, and other notable personnel changes in the audio industry. The latest moves happened at ASCAP and NPR. Continue Reading
Pono offers customers free hi-res upgrades of past purchases
Pono Music announced that it will upgrade customers’ purchases to higher resolutions as they become available from labels at no charge. This new policy, dubbed the PonoPromise, is meant to avoid the cycle of re-purchasing songs as they become available on better or more convenient formats, such as from cassettes to CDs to MP3s. Continue Reading
Internet Radio Rewind #56: A new podcasting deal; radio groups sued; Apple Music metrics; more
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The weekly update of the streaming audio industry, from RAIN News. THIS WEEK: A talent agency gets into podcasting; radio targeted in pre-1972 lawsuit; Apple disagrees with MusicWatch research; Deezer wants big bucks; Mad Genius Radio shuts down. Continue Reading
Streaming accounts for 72% of Denmark’s music market
IFPI Denmark released data on the first half of 2015 for the country’s music industry, which showed a strong performance by streaming. Revenue from streaming platforms rose by 14% in H1 2015 compared with H1 2014. Recorded music overall rose just 0.4% since the same period last year, which physical sales dropping 35% and downloads falling 13% from the year-ago period. Continue Reading
Westwood One commissions study to highlight advertiser (mis)perception of AM/FM reach
In addition to the disruptive challenges faced by traditional radio as streaming continues to grow, there might be a perceptual challenge for the industry’s relationship with advertisers. That’s what Westwood One sought to reveal in a commissioned study from research company Advertiser Perceptions, the results of which can be interpreted to indicate that radio has greater consumer reach than buyers perceive. Continue Reading
New Pioneer after-market collection offers digital entertainment options for cars
Pioneer Electronics has launched a new collection of after-market in-car entertainment systems that feature smartphone connections. The new line is partly targeted to smartphone listeners who are not (yet) in the market for a new car with built-in digital listening. Continue Reading
Geekin joins the social music fray with a real-time DJ angle
We’ve seen a large number of new apps promise an experience that combines music with social interactions, each with their own particular angle on the subjects. The new player in this field is Geekin Radio. Continue Reading
Quick Hits: Playlist payola; Privacy change at Spotify
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web. TODAY: An examination of pay-to-playlist; spotify changes its privacy policy to the disgruntlement of a Forbes columnist. Continue Reading
AudioHQ enters content creation with talent agency partnership
AudioHQ has announced a partnership with talent agency Paradigm to create long-form digital audio content. The two companies will collaborate on developing, distributing, and selling this on-demand audio programming along the traditional Hollywood studio model, which the two companies say is a new approach at large scale. Continue Reading
Beatport partners with T-Mobile for customer exclusives
Beatport announced a partnership with T-Mobile to offer exclusive content to the customers of both companies. Members of T-Mobile Backstage will get access to ticket giveaways and special access to SFX events sponsored by the telecom. Continue Reading
Broadcast radio groups become new targets of pre-1972 music licensing litigation
Traditional radio is now a litigation target over music licensing of pre-1972 recordings, thanks to an action filed in a California state court by ABS Entertainment. Will the lawsuit reach beyond the webcast streams of the radio groiups targeted? Continue Reading
SoundCloud stops reporting to Next Big Sound
The summer 2015 edition of Next Big Sound’s music industry report may be the last one to highlight SoundCloud. The online audio platform is no longer reporting to the data analytics expert. Next Big Sound tweeted to a client that SoundCloud opted to cease reporting last month, and a rep from SoundCloud confirmed the decision to Music Ally. Continue Reading