Spotify raids BBC for UK content programming hire
Spotify has hired a music executive away from BBC. George Ergatoudis is joining the streaming company as its new head of content programming for the UK. Continue Reading
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Rdio, Spotify release their own importer tools for displaced Rdio customers
With the closure of Rdio, it makes sense that the streaming platform’s customers would want to find ways to retain their carefully curated profiles and playlists. Both Rdio and Spotify have released tools to do just that. Continue Reading
Free tool for Rdio users to port over to Spotify
The announcement of Rdio’s bankruptcy caused a stir for users of the service, curious how to preserve their listening history and playlists. As is often the case in this situation, an ambitious denizen of the Internet has emerged with a new solution. Continue Reading
Internet Radio Rewind #68: Incoming royalty rates; webcast metrics; Rhapsody growth; WNYC jabs Facebook; Serial — it’s baaack!
A weekly podcast from RAIN News
Sponsored by AudioBoom
The weekly update of the streaming audio industry, from RAIN News. THIS WEEK: CRB royalty rates due any day; Triton Digital webcast metrics; Rhapsody grows its audience; WNYC pokes Facebook with audio; Spotify faces a decision, more. Continue Reading
Test Drive: Spotify’s 2015 Year in Review
We love when Spotify finds cool ways to share data, and the end of the year is often when the streaming service shines. It delivered a Year In Music round-up that details any individual’s music choices from the last 12 months in a beautifully designed package. Continue Reading
Spotify may test out windowing content
In a big potential strategy shift, Spotify is allegedly open to some artists temporarily restricting their music to its paid tier. Unnamed sources told The Wall Street Journal that Spotify will consider windowing content based on whether a listener pays for the service. An insider said Spotify would be trying this strategy as a test first to assess the impact it might have on usage and subscription membership. Continue Reading
Coldplay’s new album gets a staggered streaming release
Another major album release, another segmented digital launch. Coldplay dropped a new album on Friday but have restricted its online availability to paid-only music services. That means A Head Full of Dreams can be heard on the likes of Apple Music and Amazon Prime Music, but not on Spotify. At least, not yet. Continue Reading
Adweek’s hottest music apps of 2015 mirror last year’s picks
The end-of-the-year roundups continue apace, this time with Adweek’s Hot List detailing the top 24 digital brands, startups, and games from 2015. The list included nods for the ‘hottest music app,’ and if you can remember back to last year’s choices, you’ll be seeing very familiar names. Continue Reading
Quick Hits: Rdio vs Spotify; Sound of 2016; Nepal’s community radio; PRS review
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: PRS subject to anti-competition review; BBC’s Sound of 2016; Nepal’s community radio after the earthquake; dissecting Rdio vs Spotify. Continue Reading
The Adele referendum
The results are in! Sound like election night? In a sense, the release of Adele’s new album, 25, served as a referendum in many people’s minds. The issues? Magnitude of stardom, and distribution strategy. Some numbers, a bit of conjecture, and a conclusion. Continue Reading
Quick Hits: Podcasting vs blogging; parental leave at Spotify; Iovine’s icky interview
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: How modern podcasting is like the glory days of blogging; Spotify’s new parental leave policy; Apple Music: the mansplainer? Continue Reading
Adele’s new album drops tomorrow. Will it stream?
Popular British songstress Adele may be the latest major artist to be “pulling a Taylor.” Unnamed sources with knowledge of her upcoming release told The New York Times that the album “25” would not get a launch on streaming services. The Verge has a slightly different take on the situation. It reported that Adele’s camp was willing to put the album on Spotify, but only if it was restricted to paying listeners. Continue Reading