Brief new items and worthy reads from around the web: Legal blog demystifies the YouTube/indie artist contract; Baboom gets a new industry hire; Spotify loses a European exec Continue Reading
In a splashy distribution gambit, and a timely reminder of YouTube’s enormous content depth as it prepares a music-only subscription service, Music Vault is augmenting its existing YouTube channel with the addition of at least 13,000 concert videos. Continue Reading
A cease-fire has reportedly been established in the confusing hostility between Google-owned YouTube, which is building a subscription-based, music-only streaming service to start this summer, and indie-label groups that wish to have their content included. After an apparent break in talks, marked by protests from the label side, negotiations have resumed Continue Reading
SoundCloud continues to drive toward its stated goal of being “the YouTube of audio,” this week releasing an updated iPhone app experience that makes listening easier and prettier. At the same time there are indications that Soundcloud creators and uploaders are driven farther down a path of alienation that started with earlier changes to the service. Continue Reading
Mark Mulligan is co-founder of MIDiA Consulting, and has been a digital music analyst for over a decade. In this guest column, he observes how a “new generation of retailer behemoths carves out new territory.” Noting that media companies risk becoming collateral damage in this trend, Mulligan lays some responsibility on record labels, both majors and indies. Original research from MIDiA Consulting offers an indicator of YouTube’s streaming impact. Continue Reading
In our latest RAIN Poll, we surveyed readers with a single Yes-or-No question: Would you pay for a YouTube music service? Such a service is on the way, reportedly later this summer, offering ad-free listening/watching on some kind of YouTube-ish platform. The result of our informal poll was definite: NO. Eighty-three percent or respondents declared a negative vote on this question; 17% said they would pay. Click through to read selected comments. Continue Reading
Would you pay for a YouTube music service? That’s a choice YouTube users will have by the end of the summer, according to recent reports.
It’s an unusual value proposition, because YouTube is already the most popular music-listening (and watching) platform in the world, with over a billion users. We don’t know many details about the new subscription service Google will roll out for YouTube, but we know it will be ad-free.
Vote your choice, and leave a comment! Selected comments will be published with poll results. Continue Reading
YouTube’s contentious negotiations with some independent labels is about to reach a culminating point, as Google will soon begin removing videos of music owned by labels which have not signed a new licensing agreement. Open questions remain. Also, details about the long-rumored YouTube music service are starting to seep out. Continue Reading
In the latest update of a standoff between Google’s YouTube platform and organizations of independent music labels, the labels are escalating the argument to the British and Belgian governments. The complaint centers around YouTube’s “bullying and intimidating behavior” during contract negotiations for a new YouTube music service. Continue Reading
Last week we reported on the acrimonious negotiations between Google’s YouTube and Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), a consortium of small music labels around the world. The talks, which anticipate a new music-only service from YouTube, have deteriorated — signified by a formal public statement from WIN. Continue Reading
A global music trade organization representing independent musicians, reportedly issued (then removed) a public complaint and threat during negotiations with Google about a yet-to-be-launched YouTube music service. The publicity around this outburst further legitimizes rumors that YouTube is setting the stage for a dedicated music service, and also purportedly shines light on Google’s aggressive negotiations. Continue Reading
Yahoo has partnered with Live Nation in an agreement to co-distribute live-streamed concerts at a blistering pace — one concert a day (or night) “for several years.” Yahoo’s main competitive focus in this venture is Google, the leader in video content. Yahoo and Live Nation will funnel users to the the real-time concert stream, only highlights of which will be available later. Continue Reading