Spotify has signed a deal with Dubset Media Holdings that will bring more mixes onto the streaming platform. Dubset’s MixBank technology can be used to identify copyrighted music in a user-generated song, which means the appropriate labels and publishers can clear the samples used in a mix. Continue Reading
Spotify has hired Francis Keeling as its new vice president, global head of licensing, effective June 1. Keeling joins the streaming service after a 14-year tenure at Universal Music Group. “Francis is one of the very best in the business,” said Stefan Blom, Spotify’s chief content officer. Continue Reading
The music industry critiques against YouTube have been joined by another influential voice. Irving Azoff, an artist manager and CEO/Chairman of Azoff MSG Entertainment, penned an open letter to the video platform with responses to YouTube’s recent blog post that aimed to address the current wave of artist and label concerns. Continue Reading
Two more musicians are joining the calls for a change to YouTube’s payment systems. The New York Post reported that Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry and Mötley Crüe cofounder Nikki Sixx are getting involved in pushes to change safe harbor rules. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Forbes on podcasting; India and Internet radio; an oral history on CDs’ last days; call for “more innovators and fewer lawyers.” Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Legal expert criticizes consent decree changes; SoundCloud tips for new listeners; visualizing media’s digital upheaval. Continue Reading
Sony Music is suing the former leaders of Rdio, claiming that the now-defunct streaming service cut it out of millions in its handling of bankruptcy and its sale negotiations with Pandora. Rdio’s former CEO Anthony Bay, General Counsel Elliott Peters, and Senior Vice President of Content Licensing Jim Rondinelli were named as defendants in the claims of misrepresentation and fraudulent behavior. Continue Reading
At the beginning of the year, CÜR Music laid out plans to become a player in the social, mobile music streaming space. Part of that plan involved hefty licensing fees to be paid to all three major labels. It seems that the best laid plans are already going awry. Continue Reading
Apple Music has inked a deal with Dubset Media Holdings to add remixes and DJ mixes to the streaming service’s library. That type of music has usually been left out of legal streaming platforms because of the complexity of correctly identifying all the rights holders who should receive royalties from the final creation. However, digital distributor Dubset uses proprietary technology to analyze these music files, identify the recordings used in them, and break out the requisite royalty payments for them. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: One take on the licensing lawsuits…and a second opinion on them; Instagram, home of music superfans; Chris Price questions data deluge. Continue Reading
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
News items and worthy reads from around the web: Will Streaming Music Kill Songwriting? Also the RIAA’s half-measures in streaming and forecasting a direct-to-fan future Continue Reading