Google 9 - RAIN News

Amazon planning two music streaming services (with one at half-price)

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Anna Washenko

Amazon has been showing interest in launching a standalone streaming music service for months, but according to the latest reports, the tech giant won’t be happy with just one. Amazon appears to be considering two services: one that would match the industry standard of unlimited on-demand access for $10 a month; the other would be half the price and would only work on the company’s Echo home speaker hardware. Continue Reading →

Google champions YouTube, Content ID in new piracy report

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Anna Washenko

Google piracy report 2016 music has released its annual piracy report. The analysis highlights YouTube’s role both with the still-growing creator community and to the music industry. It is also well-timed as a response to the label and artist critiques that YouTube doesn’t do enough for the industry. Continue Reading →

Google introduces Family Library for shared entertainment purposes

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Anna Washenko

Google Play is rolling out a new feature for expanded sharing across multiple people. The Family Library supports up to six individuals sharing a single account. All members will have access to every app, game, movie, TV show, and book added to the joint collection. Continue Reading →

1

Senator Warren criticizes Apple Music in broad speech about big tech

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Anna Washenko

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) gave a speech about business competition with some pointed remarks about three of the top tech companies in the U.S. She criticized Google, Apple, and Amazon for using their size and clout to limit inroads from other companies, particularly smaller upstarts. Continue Reading →

LyricFind now powering Google Play Music

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Anna Washenko

LyricFind has inked a deal with Google. Thanks to this expanded partnership, LyricFind will provide the lyrics displayed for Google Play Music and for Google search results. Continue Reading →

Apple reportedly developing its own rival to Amazon’s Echo

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Anna Washenko

Google recently threw its hat into the ring of voice-activated personal assistants, and the latest industry speculation finds Apple working on its own entry. Apple is reportedly developing an at-home speaker assistant powered by Siri. Continue Reading →

New Google Home will go head-to-head with Amazon Echo

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Anna Washenko

The big tech companies usually wind up butting heads in their overlapping product categories. Amazon got out of the game first with the Echo, its portable, voice-activated speaker system. Now Google has joined the race with last week’s announcement of a rival product: Google Home. Continue Reading →

1

More talk of YouTube racketeering, this time by producer and scholar Jonathan Taplin

Posted on May 22, 2016 by Brad Hill

Continued heat is being applied to Google, YouTube, and — on a deeper level — to the Safe Harbor provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Jonathan Taplin is a music and film producer, inventor, entrepreneur, media executive, and scholar. He put an OpEd in the New York Times in which he said that Google’s YouTube resembles a protection racket. He also wants AM/FM to start paying artist/label royalties, and exemption he terms “the original sin.” Continue Reading →

Quick Hits: Radio conglomerates, voice control, and album art

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Anna Washenko

Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Questioning the conglomerate approach; how voice controls are influencing music at home; album art endures. Continue Reading →

Alphabet posts Q1 results below predictions, but “YouTube still has incredible momentum”

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Anna Washenko

Alphabet, the parent company for Google, reported its first-quarter financial results. CFO Ruth Porat said that “costs associated with operating our data centers including depreciation, (and) content acquisition costs, primarily for YouTube” were behind the higher spending during the period. Continue Reading →

Spotify switching to Google Cloud Platform for back end

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Anna Washenko

Spotify announced that it is switching the operation of its streaming music service to Google’s cloud computing platform. Its old system relied on a network of data centers, as well as some assistance from Amazon Web Services. Continue Reading →

YouTube acquires BandPage

Posted on February 12, 2016 by RAIN News Staff

BandPage has been acquired by YouTube. The artist support and engagement platform announced the purchase today, and he company reaffirmed its commitment to helping artists access digital tools and services.” Continue Reading →