Spotify has hired Courtney Holt as the new head of its Studios and Video departments. He replaces Tom Calderone, the former VH1 exec who departed the company earlier this month. Calderone spearheaded the development of Spotify’s programming in video and podcasts. Continue Reading
Spotify has two updates to its leadership ranks today. First, Zuzanna Gierlinska is the new head of programmatic for Europe. A 17-year veteran, she brings experience from work at Oracle, BlueKai, and Microsoft Advertising. The other personnel news is that Tom Calderone has departed the company. Continue Reading
Spotify has secured a licensing deal with Warner Music Group, meaning the streaming service now has agreements with all three major labels. The Warner deal is one of the final pieces Spotify needs to progress with any means of going public. Continue Reading
Spotify’s slow ride toward going public has hit some unexpected bumps in the road. After much speculation that the streaming service would seek an IPO, the new trajectory appears to be a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange. However, both investors and regulators have started reacting to this new business plan, indicating that a direct listing may not be the clear-cut action the company hoped. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from the web: Updates from YouTube’s Lyor Cohen; the trajectory of home audio; advertising isn’t going away on Spotify. Continue Reading
As the United States faces an emboldened white supremacist movement, many businesses have taken stronger stances to limit the spread of racist and fascist messages. After a direct call-out, streaming services have been spurred to take action and remove hate bands. Here’s a timeline of what transpired this week, and how similar situations could be prevented. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Japan and the vinyl trend; more on Spotify playlists; how much do podcasting pros actually make? Continue Reading
Spotify has been tightening its integration with Facebook, particularly with the social network’s direct chat system. After an initial integration in 2016, followed by capabilities for group playlist creation in June, Facebook Messenger can now offer Spotify music recommendations. Continue Reading
Spotify is hosting an event later this month where it is expected to announce its launch in Thailand. The streaming platform’s Bangkok event is scheduled for August 22. The subscription costs will likely be revealed at that time. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Where are the women? Updated Spotify desktop app display. New music…Thursdays? Continue Reading
Europe’s Nordic region continues to be a standard-setter for digital music adoption. The Polaris Nordic Digital Music Survey 2017 surveyed residents in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark about their listening habits. It found that 80% of all inhabitants between the ages of 12 and 65 used at least one streaming service in the past year. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Audiobooks versus podcasts; Rap Caviar gets video; happy birthday to 8tracks! Continue Reading