One of the big story arcs in the music world today centers on distribution. Several of the day’s hottest acts have been exploring new ways of using digital platforms to get their new work out to listeners. Over the weekend, another powerhouse joined their ranks. Continue Reading
Apple Music is getting another exclusive, and while it isn’t a surprise, it is a big one. Drake’s upcoming project, Views From The 6, will only be on Apple’s platform when it drops on April 29. The scope of this exclusive release will make it a telling sign of the where the current streaming market is headed. Continue Reading
Taylor Swift has released a new music video, but not everyone will be able to watch it. The video for her latest single, “New Romantics,” is an exclusive on Apple Music. It includes footage from her 1989 World Tour, which those who couldn’t attend in person can also experience as an Apple-only experience. Continue Reading
Never is a very long time. Or, if you’re Kanye West, it’s somewhere in the range of seven weeks. West’s latest album was released on Apple Music, Spotify, and Google Play today. It’s also now available for purchase through West’s website. Continue Reading
After all the big statements about his new album “never” going to appear on Apple, Kanye West appears to have changed his mind. For one song, at least. The track “Famous” arrived on other streaming services, including both Apple Music and Spotify, over the weekend. Continue Reading
When Kanye West launched his latest album, the focus was on his protective approach to distribution. The strategy was controversial at best, especially given the immediate wave of piracy the title faced. But in the weeks following the official release, West has been less obviously changing how his fans perceive the very idea of an album in the streaming age. Continue Reading
The parade of self-gating artists marches on. Gwen Stefani is the latest to only allow streaming of her new release on paid streaming services. Spotify members curious to hear her album This Is What The Truth Feels Like see a message that the release will be available on April 1. That’s a two-week delay from the album’s official launch. Continue Reading
Tidal owner Jay-Z is adding to the number of exclusives on his streaming property. The hip-hop master has taken several of his popular albums off of all rival services: Reasonable Doubt and his Blueprint trilogy have all been removed from just about everywhere except Tidal. Continue Reading
Much of the podcasting boom has been at the national and global levels, but a new service is looking to carve out a niche for local listening to grow. Satchel is a podcast distribution platform that aims to make connections between show producers and local audiences easier. Continue Reading
Indie music service Drip announced plans to close on March 18. For five years, Drip provided a platform for direct-to-fan subscription music. Artists and labels used the flexible service to distribute exclusive content to fans, offer discounted event admission, sell special edition merchandise, and more. Continue Reading
Shortly after the launch of Rihanna’s Anti spiked Tidal membership, another of the platform’s artist/owners is experimenting with using it for exclusive access. Kanye West released his new album, The Life of Pablo, on Tidal, but it has had vastly more complicated results. Continue Reading
The last time we saw a big move from Shazam, the company had added visual recognition to its feature list. Now, it’s mixing that visual component with its history as an audio tool for an experiment in music distribution. Continue Reading