In 2018 there is a fresh sense that programmatic audio is coming into an era of recognition and marketplace maturity. RAIN spoke with Scott Walker, Pandora’s SVP of Programmatic Sales, and Alexis van de Wyer, CEO of AdsWizz. The conversation touched on Google’s entry into programmatic audio, predictions of the future, and Pandora’s acquisition of AdsWizz.
Continue Reading
Spotify is reportedly offering advances to managers and indie artists as an incentive to consider direct licensing deals with the streaming service. Billboard reported that the company is offering up to several hundred thousand dollars in advances for managers that agree to license a particular number of tracks by indies directly to Spotify. On the platform, the managers and acts could then earn 50% of the revenue from those songs being streamed. Continue Reading
As an indication of how audio publishers are flowing into smart speaker distribution, tech company XAPPmedia announced it has enabled over 1,000 voice-enabled apps on the Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant platforms. Continue Reading
Facebook has introduced a new feature that takes advantage of its many music licensing deals. Lip Sync Live lets users pick from a catalog of hundreds of songs to create a video where they pretend to sing along with the track. In addition, Facebook is also rolling out permissions for its users to include music in their personal videos. Continue Reading
Piracy isn’t always listeners’ first choice for how they consume entertainment, and pirates aren’t always averse to paying for content. That’s the top takeaway from new data by piracy specialist MUSO. Continue Reading
PwC has published its annual report of projections and predictions for the international media industry. The Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2018-2022 valued the music, radio, and podcast sector in the U.S. at $40.7 billion in 2017. The industry is projected to see a 4% compound annual growth rate to reach $49.5 billion in 2022. Continue Reading
Guest columnist Mark Ramsey overlays U.S. census data on podcast audience demographic data, reaching a startling conclusion and a broad strategy for growth. Continue Reading
The new YouTube Music app has been rolling out gradually through the vast population of Android users. How does the refreshed app look and feel? How effectively does it surface YouTube’s immensely deep catalog? Continue Reading
SoundMachine announced that its Business Premium powered by Napster music service has launched in the UK. The corporate-focused premium music service offers scheduling and management features from SoundMachine alongside Napster’s music programming and catalog. Continue Reading
Tencent Music Entertainment is planning for an IPO in the United States, and the move could mean a windfall for several big music companies. Stakeholders in the Tencent music branch include Sony/ATV Music Publishing, EMI Music Publishing, and Universal Music Group. Continue Reading
Cadence13 is partnering with a pair of true crime storytellers for a new podcast investigating the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. Marc Smerling and Zac Stuart-Pontier, who also co-created the Crimetown podcast and The Jinx television series, will be working on the new show, titled The RFK Tapes. The first episode is out today, on the 50th anniversary of his death. Continue Reading
This year, Apple focused its WWDC keynote entirely on its software and operating systems. That choice meant the presentation didn’t get into any big-ticket numbers about the company’s entertainment services. However, Apple has made some updates to add functionality to both its Podcasts and Apple Music platforms. Continue Reading