Following on yesterday’s barbs, Spotify is making another, more aggressive attack against Apple Music. A lawyer from Spotify sent a letter to the rival streaming service stating that Apple Music is causing harm to Spotify and its customers by rejecting an iOS update to its app. [Update: Apple responds.] Continue Reading
Apple has entered into discussions with Tidal about a potential acquisition. The Wall Street Journal reported that the two parties have been in talks, citing unnamed people familiar with the proceedings. On the surface, this seems like a reasonable pairing. Both Tidal and Apple Music have been focused on creating artist-friendly services, each securing some coups in exclusive releases over the past month. But digging a little deeper, Tidal’s recent accomplishments might cast doubt on the tie-up. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Apple’s lack of jack not the end of headphones; streaming needs older listeners; live podcast tapings create community. Continue Reading
Tuned Global unveiled a new music app for the Indonesian market called Nada Kita. The free app is the result of Tuned Global’s partnerships with several independent labels in the region. It has several curated stations from local music editors and places a focus on artist engagement. Continue Reading
Livestreaming is a hot topic for tech and entertainment, and now Broadway is getting in on the act. For the first time ever, a major Broadway show will be streamed live. She Loves Me will air on June 30 at 8:00 pm ET. Continue Reading
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) gave a speech about business competition with some pointed remarks about three of the top tech companies in the U.S. She criticized Google, Apple, and Amazon for using their size and clout to limit inroads from other companies, particularly smaller upstarts. Continue Reading
Does Pandora or Radio Pay Better Royalty Rates to Songwriters and Music Publishers? Glenn Peoples, Music Insights and Analytics at Pandora, crunches the numbers and makes an important distinction between the one-to-one nature of Pandora “spins” and the one-to-many broadcast model. Continue Reading
The U.S. Department of Justice has completed its much anticipated two-year review of consent decrees — decades-old laws which govern how ASCAP and BMI are permitted to license music on behalf of songwriters, composers, and publishers. The bottom line: No change, and a blow to the two major performing rights organizations (PROs) which have lobbied for more flexible control of rights management, especially in the streaming era. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Norm Pattiz preaches podcasting in Cannes; Content is key in Apple Music strategy; “I hate the person my music algorithm thinks I am;” public radio leader lays out radio’s creative disruption. Continue Reading
Another app has elbowed its way into the space for live video. The new entrant is live.ly, a new program from the team behind musical.ly, a social music video platform powered by 7digital. Live.ly is currently at No. 1 on the App Store’s photo and video chart. Continue Reading
Westwood One announced a partnership with cloud intelligence company Veritone to offer radio stations near-instant archiving of content. The system, which stores and analyzes station programming online, is marketed as enabling a host of benefits extending from advertiser reporting to podcasting. Continue Reading
Radiotopia has selected the finalists for its Podquest competition. The contest collected ideas for new podcasts from 1,537 producers, and a group of Radiotopia and PRX staff narrowed that field to ten semifinalists. From there, four finalists have been chosen. Continue Reading