A recent study examined the audio landscape in Germany, where about 46% are using some form of audio at least once a week. The ARD/ZDF online study also showed that music streaming services posted 9% growth between 2016 and 2017. Continue Reading
China is in position to be the next center of international music deals, according to a profile in the Financial Times (paywall). The publication cited data from iResearch claiming that China could see its paid online music market grow 59% this year, reaching about 3 billion renminbi ($455 million). Tencent was responsible for 78% of the Chinese market in 2016, and that dominance has allowed the conglomerate to secure licensing and copyright deals with several of the larger western music businesses. Continue Reading
Nuvoodoo dug into its latest Ratings Prospects Study of radio listeners for their reactions to advertising. The survey asked about ad relevance, and creative quality — whether the ads “sound good.” Continue Reading
James Cridland’s Future of Radio is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: A very unusual-sounding contest. Familiar platitudes for radio DJs. Two compelling stories out of South Korea. Continue Reading
Amazon’s Echo Show has restored access to YouTube videos. The Amazon smart speaker, which has a screen, debuted in the spring but lost the ability to play YouTube clips in September. Google and Amazon each have their own take on why the service was suspended. Continue Reading
Spotify for Artists has made a few new additions to the Artist’s Pick feature. This section, which debuted last year, allows a performer to select music to highlight at the top of their Spotify profile with accompanying text. Continue Reading
We learned from James Cridland’s podnews that UK publication LBC is getting on the bandwagon of daily news podcasts. The Daily Debrief will release new episodes in the afternoon, reaching commuters on their way home from work. Continue Reading
The Canadian Podcast Listener report details an audience with a strong interest and steady growth for podcasts. RAIN covered details from the summary in October, but now the full report from Audience Insights and Ulster Media is available. Continue Reading
Here’s an update for those of you following the yarn of Neil Young in the digital music space. In August, the rocker announced plans to make his entire catalog available in an online archive. Now, the Neil Young Archive has a planned launch date of December 1. Continue Reading
Australia saw streaming revenue of A$96.9 million in the first half of 2017. That result marked a 57% increase from the year-ago period, according to data from the Australian Recording Industry Association. Continue Reading
Saavn, a specialist in Indian and Bollywood music, has shared two business developments. First, the company added two strategic investors to its music platform. Second, the company also announced some results from its efforts as an in-house label. Continue Reading
The news that Apple has withdrawn its timetable to launch the HomePod smart speaker this year is a final buttoning down of the holiday lineup of smart speakers, as we enter Black Friday week. The broken promise of a Q4 launch is certainly disappointing to Apple loyalists who are deep into the ecosystem. Was the HomePod squeezed out of its market position by a surprise maneuver by Sonos? Continue Reading