Play it again, Congress. Legislators are making another effort to create performance royalties for radio airplay. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) have introduced the Ask Musicians for Music, or AM-FM, Act. Continue Reading
Since its debut, the iTunes platform has been synonymous with the music industry’s adaptation to a digital world. This week, Apple has rolled out its new operating system for Mac computers, Catalina, and with it, the company marks the end of its iTunes era, reflecting the entertainment business’ shift to streaming models that offer access rather than ownership. Continue Reading
The Consumer Technology Assocation released its latest projections, anticipating that 2019 will see $401 billion in retail revenue for consumer technologies in the United States. The report suggested that growth in streaming services, AI-enabled devices, and in-vehicle technology would be key in driving that 2.2% on-year increase. Continue Reading
A collection of global music industry organizations and businesses have banded together to curb stream manipulation. Their “code of best practice” includes 21 points directed toward stopping efforts to artificially inflate stream counts and influence copyright payouts on audio and audio/visual platforms. Manipulation might include the use of bots, other automated processes, false accounts, and “pay for play” approaches to skewing stream counts. Continue Reading
Muso has released its latest piracy statistics for 2018. Its new report found that piracy websites attracted 189 billion visits last year, down from 300 billion visits in 2017. Those totals include illegal access of all forms of entertainment. Continue Reading
The Infinite Dial always provides a snapshot of how Americans consume audio, and as more of the country shifts to streaming models, that has created tighter competition across those platforms to be the music provider of choice. With several companies expanding their content offerings to be more than just music, and with big bucks on the line in potential acquisitions, where people listen has become an even more impactful choice in 2019. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s International Radio Trends is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: Two complicated stories top the newsletter this week, one about linking to audio Australia and one about big cuts at Global in the UK. Continue Reading
Musonomics, a consulting and analytics firm for the music industry, has released a report about the operational changes undergone by music labels in the streaming era. It is authored by Musonomics founder Larry Miller and commissioned by the RIAA. Continue Reading
The Consumer Technology Association released a report with its projections for spending by U.S. shoppers this year. The report anticipated that the latest tech developments will spur a record-breaking $398 billion in retail revenue during 2019. On-demand music services are projected to grow revenue in double-digit percentages. Continue Reading
Anna Washenko (RAIN News editor) and Brad Hill (RAIN president) offer a few points of outlook for 2019. On Friday, January 4, watch for the annual RAIN News 2019 Predictions from participating industry leaders. Continue Reading
RAIN’s most important 2018 coverage of research and metrics in digital audio. Continue Reading
Apple Music has landed an exclusive deal with Ministry of Sound. Under the terms of the deal, the dance music specialist will only make its curated playlists available on the Apple streaming service beginning October 4. The agreement reflects a shift in how both labels and streaming services are approaching exclusive content. Continue Reading