It makes sense. Put the new model where the old model lives. Try to bring in a new audience that might not have sampled competing services yet. That’s what Rhapsody’s just-announced partnership with Best Buy is attempting. Anyone buying a… Continue Reading
Telefonica, the Spanish telecom company with operations in four continents, has acquired a stake in Rhapsody International, the non-U.S. division of streaming platform Rhapsody, according to Billboard. Napster, owned by Rhapsody, is the primary European brand of the service. Global… Continue Reading
Classical music listening online is an uneven experience, and now has a new champion in Deezer, the 2006-founded, French-based listening platform with 30-million users and 4-million subscribers. Deezer has launched an app in cooperation with major classical labels Deutsche Grammophon,… Continue Reading
Rhapsody, one of the oldest listening platforms, a subscription-only pureplay, and lately a beleaguered business wracked with internal changes, has brought new features to its Radio product. “Radio” in this context means playlists. Until now, Rhapsody has offered a suite… Continue Reading
Samsung, whose products increasingly foster the untethered lifestyle, has come out with a wireless home sound system called Shape. It is so-called because the shape of Shape is … shapely. Most reviews compare Shape to Sonos, which, while nicely shaped… Continue Reading
Pink Floyd drummer uncharacteristically praises music streaming. The iconic rock band has been a staunch and excoriating opponent of Pandora in the past, criticising the leading Internet radio platform for seeking lower royalty payouts. Speaking independently of the band, drummer… Continue Reading
As jubilantly announced on its public blog (“Hello Argentina, Taiwan, Greece and Turkey — Spotify here!”), the interactive streamer has expanded its reach. With the addition of those four, Spotify now distributes its desktop and mobile app experiences in 32… Continue Reading
Being a first-mover can be dangerous. No music service is more aware of the perils of pioneering than Rhapsody, the subscription listening platform that has been operating since 2001. CEO Jon Irwin, in his RAIN Summit West 2013 keynote, remarked:… Continue Reading
Last week when word hit that pioneering music service Rhapsody might shake up its leadership, RAIN editor Brad Hill asked (here): “Can a subscription-only service provide compelling value against free-listening platforms? For that matter, can any streaming-music business hold its… Continue Reading