Universal Music Group reported its financial results for the first half of 2015. It was a milestone period for the company, with digital revenue accounting for more than half of its recorded music operation. Digital music was 50.1% of the revenue at €926 million. Total revenue from ad-funded and subscription streaming rose 34%. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Ten years of NPR podcasts; Google’s Songza-style playlists arrive in Germany; nearly three-quarters of Apple Music subs are male. Continue Reading
Considering the genre’s very name evokes the feeling of being low and sad, blues music can have a surprisingly funky side. That upbeat attitude comes out in spades on the fun and feisty Funky Blues station. Continue Reading
The Music Business Association released a new infographic with data about broadcast radio listenership by age. The younger demographics posted low numbers for this audio format. Ages 15-19 had just 24% share, while 20-24 was 33%. Ages 50 and older had a solid 61%. These results – young people aren’t that into traditional radio – echo what we’ve seen in other recent research. Continue Reading
Rhapsody released a video teasing its newest feature: a subset of the streaming service dedicated entirely to kids. This section will feature curated playlists that are fun and child-friendly, as well as the usual discovery and browsing of available artists. Rhapsody Kids will launch on both the Android and iOS mobile versions of the service, but the only date given was “soon.” Continue Reading
DTS announced that it will acquire iBiquity for a price of about $172 million. iBiquity is the exclusive developer and licensor of HD Radio technology, while DTS is a provider of high-definition audio solutions. Bob Struble, president and CEO of iBiquity, will continue to lead the HD Radio business following the acquisition. The deal is expected to close later this year. Continue Reading
On the Move tracks hires, promotions, and other notable personnel changes in the audio industry. Radiotopia has a new executive producer; ASCAP announced two promotions at its London membership division; Apple’s Ian Rogers has gone to a stylish new gig. Continue Reading
The Australian Communications and Media Authority announced that it will extend the current round of DAB+ trials until June 30, 2016. The tests are occurring in Canberra and Darwin, and are being led by Commercial Radio Australia. The trials happening in the capital city of Canberra include the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Special Broadcasting Service, with hope for community services to eventually join. Continue Reading
Subscription access to entertainment is becoming more prevalent, but different international markets face different challenges in executing that vision. For instance, people in the EU bloc may have difficulties accessing their digital services when traveling across country borders. A study by the European Commission found that cross-border access to entertainment subscriptions is important for nearly one in three Europeans. The research also had some data points specifically about music listening habits in the EU. Continue Reading
Russian streaming service Zvooq has finalized a contract with Sony Music, making it the only fully licensed independent music service in the country. “Sony Music is the owner of one of the largest international catalogs, and our cooperation with that company will allow Zvooq to present the entire volume of international music to our users,” the company’s Head of Content Tanya Mulkidzhanova told Billboard. Continue Reading
Webcast listening in June remained nearly flat from June’s numbers, according to Triton Digital’s Webcast Metrics Top 20 Ranker, released today. The aggregate of Triton’s top 20 measured clients moved two percentage points downward month-over-month. Mobile listening grew again. Continue Reading
Milk Music, the streaming platform from Samsung, has added a sports genre to its programming. This category will include live streams of college sporting events, including more than 900 college football games and conference championships and more than 3,000 college men’s basketball games. Continue Reading