Playlist radio service 8tracks has launched a new web interface in beta to a limited number of users. The refreshed user experience is underpinned by technology which surfaces playlist suggestions based on listening history, previous searches, and social activity on the 8tracks platform. Continue Reading
Webcast listening in May dropped a couple of percentage points from April’s numbers, according to Triton Digital’s Webcast Metrics Top 20 Ranker, released today. the may report broke a five-month string of consecutive gains. At the same time, mobile listening to streams topped 75%. Continue Reading
Germany’s music sector posted gains from streaming and sales in the first half of 2015, according to a report by the Federal Music Industry Association (BVMI). Streaming services now account for 12.8% of the country’s music revenue, up from 7.7% in the first half of 2014. “The 87 percent increase in music streaming even exceeds the forecast contained in the streaming study we published back in March,” the group’s managing director Dr. Florian Drücke said. Continue Reading
The UK is seeing growth of digital radios in cars. The Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy is expected to announce today that in Q2 2015, 70% of new cars now come with digital radio as standard. The data point shows growth in new cars with digital radio from 54% in 2014 and 38% in 2013. Continue Reading
In a burst of invention and technology ownership, ad-management firm Wideorbit acquired three patents related to streaming audio. One of them represents a technology which allows song-skipping in radio simulcasts, emulating one of Pandora’s most popular features. Continue Reading
NPR confirmed that it has withdrawn from the MIC Coalition. A representative from the public radio team confirmed the departure, but did not provide a reason. MIC, which stands for “music.innovation.consumers,” was formed earlier in 2015 with the stated goal of creating “a predictable, balanced and transparent music marketplace.” Continue Reading
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Air Media, a coalition of audio producers specializing in public service media, has developed (perhaps “invented” is a better word) a rate sheet for freelance podcasting work. The rate sheet might appear as an arbitrary wish-list to many podcasters, but the importance lies in helping to professionalize the podcast category.
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The Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship has released the results of a year-long study of the contemporary music industry, a whitepaper with recommendations for creating better rights tracking for music creators and owners. The whitepaper is a primer, a backgrounder, and an advocacy document. Continue Reading
YouTube Music Key has mostly been quiet since the initial excitement over its beta launch last November. The last that we heard of Google’s planned subscription service, the beta had been extended into September. YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki spoke at a Fortune event yesterday and touched on the outlook for Music Key, offering just a little bit of insight on its status. Continue Reading
The Spotify Insights blog has a new data creation for its fans to play with. The latest is a musical map with accompanying playlists showcasing the songs that are most unique to many of the world’s cities. Editor Eliot Van Buskirk calls these songs ‘distinctive,’ tunes that one location seems to enjoy a lot but other areas don’t. Continue Reading
Research company Niche has released its annual survey of media usage among high school graduates. The survey collected responses from 10,000 members of the 2015 graduating high school class. Spotify is the big music gainer, but Pandora still rules. Continue Reading
Billboard and Nielsen have long been the standard for music charts, but a new contender is joining the field. BuzzAngle Music it the new kid on the block, and it’s offering some unique features to stand out from the old guard. Continue Reading