Spotify has launched a new feature called Discover Weekly. This is a two-hour playlist personalized to each individual listener. The song choices for the Discover Weekly list stem from your particular music taste and what other similar fans are listening to. Spotify is billing it as a custom-made mixtape delivered each Monday morning. So how good are the recommendations? Pretty solid. Continue Reading
Worthy news items and interesting reads from around the web. Today: Analyzing Pandora programmatic; YouTube is bigger than cable; inside Spotify’s new playlist. Continue Reading
Sponsored by AudioBoom
The weekly update of the streaming audio industry, from RAIN News. THIS WEEK: Neil Young exaggerates; FTC and Apple; how do high-schoolers listen? Continue Reading
The Spotify Insights blog has a new data creation for its fans to play with. The latest is a musical map with accompanying playlists showcasing the songs that are most unique to many of the world’s cities. Editor Eliot Van Buskirk calls these songs ‘distinctive,’ tunes that one location seems to enjoy a lot but other areas don’t. Continue Reading
Research company Niche has released its annual survey of media usage among high school graduates. The survey collected responses from 10,000 members of the 2015 graduating high school class. Spotify is the big music gainer, but Pandora still rules. Continue Reading
Much digital ink has been spilled about the value of streaming, from its intangible impact on the music industry to the very tangible bottom line. Billboard crunched some numbers about the value of a single stream at both Spotify and Pandora, shedding a little light on who is getting what under the current deals. Continue Reading
Last week we reported (with some commentary) on Spotify’s email to iOS subscribers, which recommended unsubscribing from the music service in iTunes, and re-subscribing directly through Spotify. Now, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reportedly examining Apple’s policy. Continue Reading
Sponsored by AudioBoom
The weekly update of the streaming audio industry, from RAIN News. THIS WEEK: Nielsen mid-year report; U.K. streaming growth; Spotify tells subscribers to unsubscribe; Xbox Music reborn; Facebook and music. Continue Reading
Spotify has sent an email to Apple iOS subscribers, suggesting they cancel their Spotify Premium accounts, if those subscriptions were purchased through the Spotify app, and re-subscribe on Spotify’s website. There is an implied blame of Apple in Spotify’s communication that could be misplaced. We suggest a different approach. Continue Reading
With the entry of Apple Music into the streaming industry, many have wondered whether the backing of the tech giant would be enough to challenge Spotify’s dominant position. After the first week, it’s looking like no. Continue Reading
Apple is late to the on-demand party. It was late with MP3 players, too, and quickly took over that market. It was late with iTunes Radio, with no evident impact. There seems to be more supply for music subscriptions than demand. What are the competitive dynamics? Continue Reading
Sponsored by AudioBoom
The weekly update of the streaming audio industry, from RAIN News. THIS WEEK: Spotify doubles down on data; radio’s generational shift; Obama goes on a podcast; Asheville radio station goes non-commercial for one month. Continue Reading