Spain’s music industry sales edged up slightly in the first half of 2018. Spanish industry body Promusicae reported €107.6 million in H1 sales, a less than 1% increase from the year-ago period. Although the overall market barely shifted, digital consumption showed a strong increase to secure almost three-quarters of the revenue total. Continue Reading
As hinted in recent weeks, the European Commission has approved Apple’s acquisition of audio identification tool Shazam. The purchase was first announced back in December 2017, but several European leaders pushed for a full investigation to ensure that the deal would not create issues of competition. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: How AI-generated music is changing the way hits are made. Meet the company preparing to be the last CD distributor standing. Virginia is for podcast lovers. Continue Reading
Reese Witherspoon is helping lead the charge for women in podcasting. The Academy Award-winning actress’ production company Hello Sunshine has partnered with content studio Rooster Teeth to power its new podcast network The Beam. The network will specifically target a female audience and will host both original and curated podcasts. Continue Reading
Triton Digital announced a new agreement with Brazilian commercial radio station network Jovem Pan. The deal will see Triton and Omny Studio powering Jovem Pan’s podcast strategy Continue Reading
Westwood One has released a report and an infographic exploring its latest data about the podcast audience. The release of the fall 2018 Podcast Download study coincides with the IAB Podcast Upfront in New York City, where Westwood One is a presenter. Continue Reading
Vevo has appointed a new CEO. Alan Price is formally taking the top executive title at the music video service. He’d been shouldering the responsibilities on an interim basis since the departure of Erik Huggers in December 2017. Continue Reading
Family plans have become an industry standard for streaming services, but their prevalence has caused concern among labels. A feature in Billboard examined the impact of these group subscription plans on the streaming economy. Continue Reading
Streaming music remains a small portion of revenue for Japan’s music industry, and skepticism from artists could be a reason. Many popular performers in Japan are opting to keep their new albums off streaming services at launch, at least domestically. Continue Reading
Atlanta Monster is getting an extra boost behind the scenes. iHeartRadio is teaming up with the original creators — HowStuffWorks and Tenderfoot TV — to launch the second season of the true crime show. As a result of this partnership, the show will join the iHeartRadio Podcast Network and iHeartRadio will be the exclusive distribution partner for all future seasons and episodes of the program. Continue Reading
Serial has released details about its upcoming third season. The landmark true crime podcast will turn its investigative lens on the criminal justice system. Rather than digging into a single case, the season will be about Cleveland’s criminal courts and will share behind-the-scenes details of court procedures. Continue Reading
The BBC has launched its first voice experience designed for children. The BBC Kids Skill features three interactive games starring characters from CBeebies programming to start; more voice experiences and children’s content are expected to be added in the coming months. Continue Reading