When Spotify announced last week that it was adding video to its content catalog, it signaled a directional shift and a competitive thrust into YouTube’s territory. YouTube, meanwhile, is inching its Music Key subscription platform onto Spotify’s front lawn. Other brands like Deezer and SoundCloud are also blurring their lines of identity. It’s all about un-platforming … while trying to succeed as a platform. Continue Reading →
RAIN News lives at the nexus of traditional radio and new media. Informative, insightful, influential, entertaining — RAIN News is the preeminent source of information and commentary about the future of radio and the emergence of streaming audio. RAIN was… Continue Reading →
8tracks announced that it has hired Jon Maples into the position of Vice President of Product. Maples led product development at on-demand music service Rhapsody from 2009 through 2013. Continue Reading →
A weekly podcast from RAIN News
Sponsored by AudioBoom
The weekly update of the streaming audio industry, from RAIN News. THIS WEEK: Two podcast funding deals; the new Spotify; Pandora acquires more metrics; MixRadio breaks loose Continue Reading →
YouTube has extended the beta trial for its Music Key subscription service through Sept. 15. According to the emails sent to current beta testers, the extension is a thank you for the helpful feedback received during the first six months of testing. Continue Reading →
Yesterday, we briefly reported on the contract between Sony and Spotify that was leaked online earlier in the week. We learned today that the International Music Managers Forum used the contract lead as a catalyst for an open letter to the European Commission in an effort to demand more transparency in digital deals. Continue Reading →
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Sony/Spotify contract leaked (then removed); another songwriting exec critiques safe harbor laws. Continue Reading →
Project Everyone is a mission-based startup that seeks to propogate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which will be released in September. Part of Project’s plan is to launch Radio Everyone, a seven-day “pop-up” radio venture to educate the world’s entire population about hunger, poverty, and climate change, as aligned with the U.N. initiative. Any broadcaster may participate. Here’s how. Continue Reading →
The UK’s Radio Joint Audience Research released its data from the first quarter of 2015. The latest information revealed a slight decline in overall radio listening, but posted improvements in the rates of digital radio uptake in the region. The total number of Q1 2015 listeners declined about 50,000 people from the same quarter of 2014. In contrast, digital radio has been consistently increasing its share of listeners, growing from 20.1% in Q1 2009 to 39.6% in Q1 2015. Continue Reading →
Electronica producer Madeon has been using Twitter this week to jab a sharp stick into his label’s side, over a reported Soundcloud takedown action. The tweet protest illustrates how rights-holder decisions about streaming access to music can conflict with artist values, especially in the EDM category. Continue Reading →
The Internet Radio Rewind podcast is an audio recap of recent news, featuring RAIN editor Brad Hill, a splash of music, and a dash of humor. Unlike chatcasts, Internet Radio Rewind is quick and to-the-point. Brand new podcast episodes appear on Fridays. Internet… Continue Reading →
Sponsored by PodcastOne
Financial, talent, and product investments are raising podcasts to a new stature in the streaming audio landscape. We review recent investment news, and look at what podcasting might become as the category quickly matures. Podcasting is drawing up a seat to the table. Continue Reading →
