Apple Music is slated to get exclusive access to two upcoming releases. Pop singer Britney Spears will make her album Glory an Apple exclusive when it drops on Aug. 26. It is her first project since 2013. R&B singer Frank Ocean is also going to have an Apple Music exclusive, but the release date is much murkier. Continue Reading
As rumors go, Liberty Media’s interest in acquiring Pandora is both apparent and remote. Now the CEO reportedly has told analysts that he is uninterested in the streaming business model … but if he did buy Pandora it would be positioned within Sirius XM. Continue Reading
Apple is having a busy week, adding South Korea to its roster of countries where its streaming service is available. The reaction from the domestic music scene has been lukewarm thus far. Continue Reading
Podcast measurement company Podtrac today released the July edition of its Industry Ranking Top 10 Podcast Publishers. Overall podcast listening with the top-10 group grew 5% over the month before. Continue Reading
Social music company Crowdmix has been auctioned off to one of its main investors. The saga of this startup and its intended product demonstrate just how challenging it is to elbow into the mobile space with social media and music. Continue Reading
The latest RAJAR data shows continued growth for UK digital radio in the second quarter. Fifty-nine percent of the population tunes in to digital radio each week, up from 57% in the first quarter of this year. The share of all radio on digital platforms rose for yet another quarter to reach 45.3%. Continue Reading
Spotify has launched a new personalized playlist feature, Release Radar, which appears in every user’s Browse section. Release Radar is Spotify’s first expansion of the technology which powers Discover Weekly, an unquestionable hit with users and a triumph of algorithmic music curation. RAIN’s Anna Washenko and Brad Hill take Release Radar for a spin, and share their impressions. Continue Reading
In a recent advertising conference, one head of creative services warned that programmatic advertising could kill podcasting. Right or wrong? There are several points to argue against the dire prediction. Continue Reading
Japan is getting another streaming platform. Rakuten Music is the newest release from ecommerce business Rakuten, and it aims to be a “one-stop music service.” The mobile service offers a library of 3 million items and includes product placement for CDs and music DVDs/Blu-Rays sold through Rakuten Books. Continue Reading
The Electronic Frontier Foundation may return to court for its case against Personal Audio over podcasting patents. Personal Audio has since filed an appeal of the decision, and the EFF is trying to confirm its ability to participate in that appeal. Continue Reading
It’s official. The Department of Justice has released the final ruling for its review of performing rights organization consent decrees, which includes “full-works licensing” and prohibits withdrawal of digital rights from bundled licenses. Both ASCAP and BMI are already mounting their responses. Continue Reading
Indian streaming service Saavn announced the original programming roster that it will debut this month and next. The shows include Film Companion with Anupama Chopra and #NoFilter Neha hosted by Neha Dhupia. Both are long-form audio/talk shows. Continue Reading