Europe’s digital chief joins the YouTube debate

Another voice joined the debate over YouTube, this time from the EU government. Andrus Ansip, former prime minister of Estonia and current vice president for the digital single market on the European Commission, said YouTube’s lower payments made to the music industry give it an unfair advantage over services that focus on subscriptions. Continue Reading

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Music consumption explodes worldwide, powered by streaming (IFPI)

The IFPI has released its 2016 global report, which points to streaming as the key reason behind music’s first year of significant total revenue growth since 1995. Global revenue rose 3.2% last year to $15 billion. Digital outperformed physical revenue for the first time, a result that echoes the U.S. trend highlighted by the RIAA’s annual report. Within that strong performance, streaming emerged as a powerhouse, accounting for 43% of the year’s digital revenue. Continue Reading

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8tracks to restrict international listening (for now)

8tracks announced an update in how international listeners will be able to access its playlisting service. The company said that outside of the U.S. and Canada, listeners would only be able to experience playlists by YouTube video playback. The big change is that international listeners will not be able to stream from the iOS or Android mobile apps anymore. Continue Reading

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MixRadio outlines big plans for Indonesian market

MixRadio is setting its sights on the Indonesian market. In an interview with the Jakarta Globe, Asia-Pacific Director Jamie Robertson explained that the music service is making Indonesia one of its top three priority markets. Indonesia has a reputation as a market with extensive piracy, but Robertson does not see those activities as a threat to the legal streaming option offered by MixRadio. Continue Reading

Survey shares insights on European digital music use and cross-border copyrights

Subscription access to entertainment is becoming more prevalent, but different international markets face different challenges in executing that vision. For instance, people in the EU bloc may have difficulties accessing their digital services when traveling across country borders. A study by the European Commission found that cross-border access to entertainment subscriptions is important for nearly one in three Europeans. The research also had some data points specifically about music listening habits in the EU. Continue Reading