Spotify reportedly plans another financing round, prepping to draw battle lines

Investment firm TPG Capital is reportedly considering an investment in Spotify. Sky News said that TPG is in talks to provide financing of as much as $500 million in loan notes, which could lead to Spotify increasing the size of its offering to up to $1 billion. These alleged fundraising plans come as Pandora continues to voice its intention to build a competing on-demand music service. Continue Reading

Next Big Sound explores new benchmarking ideas for performers

Next Big Sound released a new report offering insights on how to benchmark artist performance. The newly Pandora-owned data company examined ideas for analyzing musicians’ success online. The report tracks data from several social media networks – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Vevo, and Instagram – and combined it with an assessment of Pandora plays. Continue Reading

Pandora executives on listening, licenses, labels, and more

The most informative part of quarterly earnings calls can be the Q&A with investors, for the strategic story beyond the financials. Click through for insights, perspectives, and forward projections voiced by CEO and Brian McAndrews and CFO Mike Herring in last week’s responses to investors. Continue Reading