RAIN News

Songza acquisition shines through in new Google Play Music All Access update

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Anna Washenko

The latest update to Google Play Music All Access reflect some of the features that entered Google’s hands when it purchased Songza. The streaming platform has adopted music stations to its Listen Now page that cater to particular moods or activities. This riff on Songza’s Concierge service considers the time of day, device used for listening, and other signals to assess what your state of mind or current actions might be, then supplies the appropriate music. Continue Reading →

Pandora launches Sponsored Listening; free music in exchange for watching one commercial

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Brad Hill

Buying media is easy. Getting people to watch commercials is not. That’s the premise behind Pandora’s new Sponsored Listening program. The new initiative just launched with two brand partners, Fox and Sony PlayStation. Continue Reading →

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adStream: Effective “skip ads” in iHeartRadio

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Brad Hill

Last week we wrote about pre-roll ads, their benefits, with an example from Live365. This week we were on the prowl for streaming music ads that are invoked by skipping songs in an online radio station. We turned to iHeartRadio for examples, and were quickly rewarded. Continue Reading →

Quick Hits: Pono Music; the social effect of streaming; Google music makeover

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Anna Washenko

Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web. Neil Young takes the stage … but no details on a release date for Pono Music. A NY Times columnist explores the social effect of streaming. Google’s music service might be undergoing a makeover. Continue Reading →

TuneCore launches YouTube Money as its latest Artist Service

Posted on October 21, 2014 by RAIN News Staff

TuneCore has added a new feature to its Artist Services program focused on incorporating YouTube into its monetization avenues. YouTube Money collects revenue for use of its customers’ music on the video channel for a one-time fee of $25. The FAQ for the service noted that display ads, overlay in-video ads, TrueView in-stream ads and non-skippable in-stream ads are all available for monetizing videos. Continue Reading →

New Microsoft app offers discounted album sales via Xbox Music

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Anna Washenko

Microsoft launched a new app for Windows and Windows Phones that offers shoppers full albums for steep discounts. Microsoft Music Deals promises to have 101 top albums on sale for less than $2 each every Tuesday. It will also sell debut albums for 99 cents and “timeless classics” for $1.99. According to VentureBeat, the app is mostly an intro to the Xbox Music app. Continue Reading →

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Webcast Rate Proposals Now Public for 2016-2020; What Will the Copyright Royalty Board Consider?

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Brad Hill

by David Oxenford

As webcasters have submitted their royalty-rate arguments to the Copyright Royalty Board, the fight for favorable music licensing rates shifts into high gear. Broadcast law attorney Davide Oxenford takes stock of key points in the submitted briefs, clearly summarizing complex considerations. Continue Reading →

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Pureplay of the Day: Woofer Radio

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Brad Hill

Woofer Radio is the Pureplay of the Day. There are many thousands of genre pureplay Internet radio stations. Much rarer are pureplays that fearlessly cross genres with great sensibility and taste. The best examples of that sort of station build loyalty quickly for their great and unpredictable music curation that creates a surprising and satisfying experience. Continue Reading →

Webcast listening flat in August; year-over-year growth (Triton)

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Brad Hill

Month-over-month webcast listening was flat in August, according to Triton Digital’s monthly Webcast Metrics Top 20 Ranker. Our analysis also looks at the year-to-date view. Monthly growth was led by Idobi Radio; year-over-year gains were topped by Townsquare. Continue Reading →

Google to roll out new anti-piracy measures

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Anna Washenko

With the release of its new “How Google Fights Piracy” report, Google announced a change to its search engines that will make illegal sites less likely to appear in queries. Senior Copyright Counsel Katherine Oyama wrote a blog post explaining the main points of Google’s latest efforts in the anti-piracy space. Continue Reading →

Pandora announces new general counsel

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Anna Washenko

Pandora has appointed Steve Bené as its new general counsel. Bené joins the online radio service from Electronic Arts, where he held the same position and worked on negotiations with music and movie studios. In his role at Pandora, Bené will be a member of the company’s executive leadership team and will oversee all legal operations. Continue Reading →

Spotify adds Family plan for shared Premium listening

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Anna Washenko

Spotify has announced the addition of a new subscription designed for family sharing. Under the Spotify Family plan, up to four family members can be added to a single billing account while keeping their listening histories and playlists separate. All people in the family will have access to the full set of Premium features. Continue Reading →