Recent news that Apple is pushing back to labels about licensing fees, with the possible intent of lowering the monthly subscription cost of Beats Music, sets the stage for this week’s RAIN Poll. We asked readers: Is Apple right? Would a lower subscription cost stimulate the subscription side of the streaming business? Or doesn’t it matter? The result was conclusive in an unexpected way Continue Reading
The British Phonographic Industry group reported that UK listeners have streamed 10.2 billion tracks to date this year, almost double the 5.4 billion tracks streamed last year in the same period. People are listening to tunes more than 300 million times each week. Continue Reading
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An eight-minute blast of news you need to know in streaming music and online audio. The weekly update of news you need to know in streaming music and online audio, from RAIN News. This week: royalty arguments in high gear; The Turtles chase Pandora, iHeartMedia and Omnicom; UK streaming doubles; dot-RADIO controversy; Apple and the labels; surprise for an Alabama radio station. Continue Reading
The Financial Times reported that SoundCloud has hit stumbling blocks in its negotiations with three major music labels. Sources told the publication that Universal, Sony, and Warner have all rejected SoundCloud’s proposed terms and are looking for a better deal. In fact, Universal is allegedly not in conversation with the online music portal anymore. Continue Reading
With wearables no longer just the purview of science fiction movies, more and more content companies are revamping their services for access on the new technology. The latest is iHeartRadio, which is now available on Android Wear devices. Continue Reading
SoundCloud announced an upgrade to its browser experience that brings a more visual music player onto the screen. The large-format player displays an expanded version of the thumbnail image associated with each track. We found some beautiful results, and some ineffective ones. Soundcloud creators, who stock the site with uploaded music, are complaining. Continue Reading
Nielsen published its latest insights on the outlook for connected cars. The high-tech vehicles are appealing for the cool factor; 60% of future auto intenders said they want one to experience emerging technologies. But the desire for entertainment on the road was a close second, at 58% of future auto intenders. In fact, the Nielsen results revealed that 36% of connected car users streamed audio every time they got in their vehicle during the second quarter of 2014. Continue Reading
Never have the words Alabama and Canada been uttered in the same sentence as much as they are this week. Broadcast law attorney David Oxenford explains why. Continue Reading
An examination of SEC filings revealed that Rdio has raised more than $108 million through four separate securities sales over the past year and change. Its parent company, Pulser Media, raised $25 million in April, $4.4 million in December, $3.8 million in November, and $75 million in September of last year, according to Billboard. Continue Reading
College radio stations, represented by College Broadcasters, Inc. (CBI), will see their webcast royalty rates for the use of music recordings unchanged in the looming 2016-2020 royalty period. Most stations will use a simplified “proxy” reporting method to SoundExchange, an easier administrative process than the fastidious reporting that commercial stations must supply. Continue Reading
Webcast companies have filed written arguments with the Copyright Royalty Board, as the streaming industry moves inexorably toward a new licensing period for the use of music recordings starting in 2016. The filing deadline was last night at midnight.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and SoundExchange have both filed their documents. The two petitions use some of the same language, but to opposite purposes. We examine both arguments. Continue Reading
Pandora has been growing its international audience since launching in Australia and New Zealand. That base of listeners could grow even more thanks to a partnership in the region with Ford Australia that will put the radio app in up to 60% of all new cars in 2015, according to The Music Network. Continue Reading