Spotify reportely to launch “Supremium” plan with higher monthly rate

Spotify will launch a third subscription tier to its legacy two-tier access, introducing a “Supremium” plan above its current subscription and free-listening options. This according the Ashley Carman’s reporting at Bloomberg — and CEO Daniel Ek promised it during the Q1 earnings call. We look at the rumored benefits, and compare to competitors. Featuring RAIN’s Spotify user growth chart. Continue Reading

NPR’s “How I Built This” moves to Wondery / Amazon in exclusive licensing deal

Apple top-10 charter and NPR hit How I Built This with Guy Roz has been licensed by Amazon Music subsidiary Wondery for semi-exclusive distribution. Wondery and Amazon get the show exclusively for a week, and also enjoy exclusive ad-repping. NPR continues to underwrite. Click for details. Continue Reading

Amazon acquires ART19, fills out its podcast capabilities

Amazon has acquired ART19 for its Amazon Music distribution platform. ART19 has long been one of the most innovative and future-tech podcast hosting and monetization platforms. The acquisition puts a third leg on Amazon’s podcast stool, joining the Wondery acquisition in December and Amazon Music’s distribution power through Alexa smart speakers. Continue Reading

Infinite Dial 2020: Spotify is narrowing the gap with Pandora, and leading for younger listeners

Online audio has long been one of the central topics in the Infinite Dial survey, both in tracking overall consumption and in monitoring brand rivalries in the U.S. Monthly online audio listening in the U.S. reached 68%, or an estimated 192 million, in 2020. While younger generations have often been the drivers of digital uptake, this time the growth happened in older age groups. Continue Reading