Getting paid is usually at the front of any artist’s mind, and while it seems like there have never been more options for making money in a digital economy, the existing platforms can change at a moment’s notice. One such service is Drip, which was initially a fan service for indie music that Kickstarter acquired in 2016 and relaunched the following year for broader aristic subscription support. Continue Reading
Adobe Digital Insights conducted a survey about voice services. The participants shared details on how and when they used voice technology. About three-quarters (73%) of smart speaker owners use the devices daily. Music, weather, and silly questions were the most frequent use cases for the AI assistants. Continue Reading
Podtrac issued its May list of the top 20 podcasts. Weekday news programs continue to perform well in the Podtrac ranking. Continue Reading
Spotify has folded another popular podcast under its umbrella. The audio company will be the exclusive home of the third season of Riggle’s Picks, a show from comedians Rob Riggle and Sarah Tiana where the pair discuss sports, culture, and life. Continue Reading
Triton Digital has added another new client integration for its a2x programmatic audio advertising exchange. Centro, an advertising technology provider, will integrate its Basis digital media platform with a2x. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Billboard on Africa’s early streaming moves. Radio + podcasts + promotion. Why podcasts can’t rely on ads. What a snore! Continue Reading
The UK’s BPI teamed with MusicAlly for a new report on music and podcasts. Their report recapped some existing research on podcast listening from sources such as The Infinite Dial, RAJAR, and the IAB, but it also offered some original research into how the audio format can be a tool for the music industry. The two organizations conducted an online survey of labels, artist managers, music publishers, distributors, and label services for their stances on the potential of podcasts. Continue Reading
Shane Tobin is departing his role as Head of Partnerships for Content & Creator at Spotify. Tobin was a business development director at Echo Nest prior to its acquisition by Spotify, and he rose through the ranks since the data-focused company folded into the streaming platform. Continue Reading
Short form video platform TikTok has been growing its reach in new markets outside its home base of China. After a brief removal from the mobile app platforms for both Google and Apple in April, the service has resumed in India. The Economic Times reported that TikTok now has 200 million users in India, including 120 million who are active every month. Continue Reading
More than 75 million DAB and DAB+ receivers were sold in Europe and Asia Pacific by the end of the fourth quarter of 2018. That’s the latest report from WorldDAB, which saw the receiver sales grow from 65 million in Q4 2017. Continue Reading
Digital music distributor DistroKid has entered a deal aimed at curbing unauthorized streaming. DistroKid signed an agreement with Audible Magic and will use its new partner’s RightsRxTM solution to check the authenticity of all uploads by its artists. DistroKid is furthering its internal tools for stopping piracy. Continue Reading
We learned from Podnews that Libsyn, one f the largest and most established podcast hosting companies is undergoing tumult. One of its shareholders with 6% interest in the company is calling for a new board of directors, disclosing executive compensation and the company’s 2018 income. Continue Reading