Google has launched its Play Music streaming service in Japan. A subscription will cost ¥980 per month, but Google is offering the first 30 days as a free trial. For those who register by Oct. 18, they will lock in a discounted monthly rate of ¥780. The service will be available on Android smartphones and tablets and on iPhones. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Spotify’s song of the summer; interview with Songza founder; iTunes VP says there’s “homework” to do. Continue Reading
TuneIn is expanding its available programming in college football, announcing the addition of play-by-play broadcasts and team-specific stations for 90 college teams. These new features mean TuneIn listeners will be able to access almost 70% of the NCAA’s Division 1 football. The platform will also be carrying a talk program called “The College Football Blitz” from IMG. Continue Reading
We’ve seen some trend pieces in the past month discussing just how important it is for artists’ success to secure spots on streaming services’ popular playlists. The indie community has recognized this and is preparing to jump on the bandwagon. The Association of Independent Music in the UK has issued a request for proposal seeking an entity to operate a streaming music playlists brand focused on indies. Continue Reading
App Annie always has great insights into mobile business, and the company’s latest report reviews the most popular iOS apps to date. The report has separate lists for global popularity by download and by revenue, with separate lists for games. Pandora took the crown as the highest-grossing iOS app, while Spotify ranked fifth on that chart. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group reported its financial results for the first half of 2015. It was a milestone period for the company, with digital revenue accounting for more than half of its recorded music operation. Digital music was 50.1% of the revenue at €926 million. Total revenue from ad-funded and subscription streaming rose 34%. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Ten years of NPR podcasts; Google’s Songza-style playlists arrive in Germany; nearly three-quarters of Apple Music subs are male. Continue Reading
Considering the genre’s very name evokes the feeling of being low and sad, blues music can have a surprisingly funky side. That upbeat attitude comes out in spades on the fun and feisty Funky Blues station. Continue Reading
The Music Business Association released a new infographic with data about broadcast radio listenership by age. The younger demographics posted low numbers for this audio format. Ages 15-19 had just 24% share, while 20-24 was 33%. Ages 50 and older had a solid 61%. These results – young people aren’t that into traditional radio – echo what we’ve seen in other recent research. Continue Reading
Rhapsody released a video teasing its newest feature: a subset of the streaming service dedicated entirely to kids. This section will feature curated playlists that are fun and child-friendly, as well as the usual discovery and browsing of available artists. Rhapsody Kids will launch on both the Android and iOS mobile versions of the service, but the only date given was “soon.” Continue Reading
DTS announced that it will acquire iBiquity for a price of about $172 million. iBiquity is the exclusive developer and licensor of HD Radio technology, while DTS is a provider of high-definition audio solutions. Bob Struble, president and CEO of iBiquity, will continue to lead the HD Radio business following the acquisition. The deal is expected to close later this year. Continue Reading
On the Move tracks hires, promotions, and other notable personnel changes in the audio industry. Radiotopia has a new executive producer; ASCAP announced two promotions at its London membership division; Apple’s Ian Rogers has gone to a stylish new gig. Continue Reading