Want your latest song or album promoted to millions of users on Spotify? Now, you can pay for that. Profitability — or lack thereof — is now forcing Spotify to charge for promotional placements. Just this morning, the streaming platform announced that…
Author archives: Paul Resnikoff
Frustrated Singer-Songwriter Liz Longley Asks Fans for $35,000 to Get Out of Her Label Deal, Gets $130,000 on Kickstarter
It’s not unusual for artists to have problems with their record labels. But rarely do such problems culminate in a happy ending. But this is exactly what happened to country artist Liz Longley, in a story that will inspire both artists and their …
House of Representatives Passes Small Claims Copyright Bill for Infringements Under $30,000
There’s big news on the copyright front — for small infractions. Small claims court systems exist throughout the world and are a fixture in every U.S. state and county. The processes are streamlined and quick, with judges typically reviewing doze…
Rainbo Records Is Officially Shutting Down After 80 Years — Here’s a Message from the President
Just as vinyl records are taking off, one of the format’s largest pressing plants — Rainbo Records in Los Angeles — is shutting down. The news is quickly spreading around the industry today, with Rainbo Records president Steve Sheldon delivering …
Tommy Boy Is Finding Counterfeit Vinyl on Amazon — For Titles They Aren’t Even Pressing
Back in August, we reported on a serious problem involving counterfeit CDs on Amazon. Now, we’re learning about a physical knock-off issue that’s far more serious than we imagined. Just how serious is vinyl counterfeiting? Considering tha…
SiriusXM Inks a Major Podcasting Deal With Marvel — Wolverine, Hawkeye, Black Widow Series Ahead
SiriusXM Radio — not Spotify — has just inked the biggest podcasting content deal of the year. SiriusXM finally got the podcasting memo this year — and that’s bad news for Spotify’s ambitious ramp-up. Just this morning. SiriusXM tied a majo…
Brandi Carlile Pulls Out of Fortune’s ‘Most Powerful Women’ Summit After Ex-Director of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielson Joins
Brandi Carlile has just announced her withdrawal from Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, which is scheduled to take place on the 22nd in Washington, D.C. The singer cited the appearance of Kirstjen Nielson, who is a former Homeland Security director…
If Stormzy Didn’t Demand Ben Cook’s Dismissal, Who Did?
More questions than answers surround the abrupt departure of Atlantic Records UK president Ben Cook. The abrupt resignation of Atlantic Records UK president Ben Cook earlier this week is still causing ripples, with industry onlookers wondering exactly …
As Music Publishers Rattle TikTok’s Cage, Insiders Say NMPA Can’t Afford Another Peloton
As litigation against Peloton lumbers on, insiders say the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) is overextending its budget. Earlier this week, the NMPA’s hard-fighting CEO, David Israelite, seized on a new enemy: TikTok. In a let…
The Vinyl Industry Has a Trade Group — Introducing the ‘Vinyl Alliance’
After nearly 15 years of consecutive recovery, vinyl is becoming a bonafide industry again. The freshly-unwrapped trade group, which aims to cover all aspects of vinyl record mastering, manufacturing, hardware, software, distribution, and retail, was a…