Doing some driving this weekend? The right car music can make weekend chores enjoyable. Feel-good, upeat, top-down tunes can evoke a cross-country jaunt even if you’re just going to the store for milk. Or sitting at your desk, if your imagination is vivid enough. This is caffeine-substitute music, good for anytime you need a strong, uplifting beat. Continue Reading
Music licensing is a mess — few people or companies would disagree. The copyright arm of the U.S. government is thinking about change. As part of the process, the U.S. Copyright Office is initiating a Music Licensing Study, and seeks comments. If the Copyright Act is headed for reform, this is the webcaster’s opportunity to be part of the process. Continue Reading
Bloomberg reports that Beats Music disclosed sign-up numbers to its private investors in February, and that the subscription-only service attracted paid users at an average of 1,000 per day for the first month. The online jukebox service launched on January 20, and enjoys the advantage of bundling with AT&T smartphone plans. Continue Reading
We received strong interest in our latest RAIN Poll, which asked readers to pick their preferred home listening device(s). In addition to the votes, this poll attracted an unprecedented number of comments, as readers were motivated to describe (and brag about?) their home-listening rigs. Streaming in general led the field. Continue Reading
RAIN Summit West, an educational and networking conference co-located with the NAB Show, is providing a $100 discount on an NAB Show SMART Pass or Conference Flex Pass to RAIN registrants. Alternatively, a free NAB Show exhibit-only pass is available to RAIN attendees. Continue Reading
In November we reported that Turntable.FM, the venerable group-listening service, shifted course, closing its group-listening virtual rooms and starting a concert-streaming service. Now, founder Billy Chasen announces that Turntable Live shut down in January, her has moved on to another startup, and Turntable.FM is officially closed. Continue Reading
The court decision in the ASCAP vs. Pandora royalty-rate trial was released this morning. In the lengthy court document, presiding federal judge Denise Cote explains how ASCAP failed to achieve the escalated royalty rates it sought on behalf of its client publishers and composers. “ASCAP has not carried its burden.” Continue Reading
NCAA basketball and March Madness fans will not be tethered to broadcast this year. TuneIn announced an expanded partnership with WestwoodOne to carry live coverage of the Division 1 Men’s Basketball Champioship. The deal includes full play-by-play of all 67 games, plus the Women’s Final Four. Continue Reading
Last week we learned from the Radio Advertising Bureau’s 2013 Revenue Report that digital dollars continue to increase at a much faster rate than other revenue segments for radio broadcasters. One of the obvious reasons why the digital sector is growing quickly is that the streaming audience is growing in all the right ways. Continue Reading
The Internation Federation of Phonographic Industries (IFPI) released its summary of digital music usage and revenue for 2013. As with the RIAA report issued this week, the IFPI document shows vigorous growth of streaming and subscription music, bolstering a general industry picture of declining physical sales. Continue Reading
RAIN Summit West, now in its 13th year with a full-day agenda of panels and presentations, will shine an illuminating light on the sometimes bewildering field of connected cars and digital dashboards. Paul Heine, Senior Editor of Inside Radio,will moderate the “Dashboard Dynamics” panel. Continue Reading
Real estate search site Trulia is making news this week by launching a $45-million ad campaign for its mobile app. Trulia is placing a big bet with a marketing campaign of this size — nearly six times larger than last year’s total media spend of $8-million. Interestingly, the Trulia campaign is leaning on streaming for its audio portion. Continue Reading