Online radio is not just a North American phenomenon — it’s a global one. Reflecting the global nature of online radio, we are about to host our third annual RAIN Summit Europe, on Tuesday, November 4th. After successful events in Berlin in 2012 and Brussels in 2013, this year we’re coming to London … and here is why you should join us! Continue Reading
At RAIN News we prefer facts to rumors. But rumors can anticipate reality. Whether they do or not, well-sourced rumors are interesting, and point to underlying issues. This rumor started with a TechCrunch article, circulated by other publications, and was quickly denied by Apple. Another recent Apple acquisition might provide guiding light. And no matter what happens to the Beats Music brand, important questions surround Apple’s role in music and listening. Continue Reading
National Public Radio station WBUR, Boston, announced that it is the first broadcast station to land an app in Google Glass, the wearable computing device. WBUR is affiliated with Boston University. WBUR was also one of six NPR stations that developed NPR One, a mobile public-radio experience that launched this summer. Continue Reading
This guest column identifies a “middling majority” of music creators whose businesses are not thriving in the streaming music services. Mark Mulligan proposes a formula for better monetizing a band’s relationship with listeners and fans — and offers a worksheet of the model for artists to work with. Continue Reading
BIA Kelsey released its annual Local Media Forecast for 2015, moving its publication timing to the fall “to align with the annual strategic planning season.” The report breaks out predicted spending growth and decline for a few broad categories, and forecasts the overall local ad-spending market to 2019. Continue Reading
Last week we covered AudioHQ’s launch as a new audio ad network, partnering with 8tracks as a music-service partner. CEO Matt Cutair told us that his company seeks to facilitate a “middle market” between high-end premium sales and programmatic buying. To follow up on the content side, we spoke to David Porter, founder and CEO of 8tracks. Continue Reading
Radio (terrestrial or online) is best when delivering a rich-discovery stream of music that repeatedly makes you say, “Who is that?” and “I’ve got to hear more of that band.” When those revelations happen with nearly every song, you know you’ve found something special, and that was our experience with La Noche del Hombre Lobo. (Night of the Werewolf.) Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the Internet. TODAY: Who buys CDs? Sirius XM mulling more out-of-car options. Debate continues over uniform global album-release day. Continue Reading
Apple’s free and forced distribution of U2’s new album is the gift that keeps on giving. The epic pushback by Apple users has turned the incident into a meme with hilarious side effects. Click through for a few minutes of Friday fun — Apple’s imaginary damage control solution from Conan O’Brien. Continue Reading
THIS WEEK: RAIN Summit Indy awards. Clear Channel becomes iHeartMedia. The epic Apple/U2 saga. BMI reports revenues. A broadcaster lawsuit. Podcasting is more important than you think … and is still getting sued. A new audio ad network. Continue Reading
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), a performing rights organization that collects and distributes music royalties on behalf of publishers and composers, announced record-breaking revenue and distribution for the fiscal year ended June 30. Revenue totaled $977-million, and royalty distributions were accounted at $840-million. Continue Reading
Four days after our initial coverage of Apple’s forced distribution of U2’s new album, the controversy continues to swirl. A good deal of media punditry has concluded that the marketing gambit, in which Apple put the band’s new album, Songs of Innocence, into the music collections across the iOS mobile landscape, was an outright failure. But 33-million people listened to the album, making the experiment a large success. Continue Reading