Spotify’s Family Plan members are now subject to random location verifications. The change was included deep in Spotify’s terms of service update in August. Now, everyone who signs up for a family plan must show proof they share the same address — and…
Category archives: Music Apps
Martina McBride Says Spotify’s Recommendation Algorithm Is Sexist
Martina McBride is asking some serious questions about Spotify’s recommendations algorithm. McBride says she decided to make a playlist called “Country Music” on Spotify. Spotify populates recommendations for songs on playlists, based on songs that yo…
Deezer Introduces a New Payment System to Better Reward Artists — Can It Work?
Deezer launched a new website today touting the benefits of a ‘User-Centric Payment’ system. The music streaming service is hoping to get rights holders on board to create a new payment structure for artists. The user-centric payment system will start…
Spotify Finally Adds Music Share Support for Snapchat
Spotify has finally launched its music share feature for Snapchat. Instagram received music sharing months ago, allowing users to share their favorite songs. Snapchat’s integration allows users to create a snap that includes song info and album art. Yo…
After a Massive Backlash From Android Users, Spotify Re-Adds the Widget
Spotify is bringing back the Android home screen widget after an outpouring of protest. Back in August, Spotify removed support for the Android home screen playback widget. The justification for the removal was that Spotify wanted to “pour resources in…
800,000 Installs Later, FIX Music Rewards Introduces In-App E-Commerce
FIX is quietly amassing a serious crowd around music rewards. Now, the strategy is shifting towards in-app monetization. Over the summer, we first documented Toronto-based FIX, a music rewards app that quietly surpassed 600,000 app installs. Two month…
After a False Start, Spotify Quietly Expands Music Sharing Into Facebook Stories
Spotify is re-introducing a way to share music through Facebook Stories. The new Facebook Stories integration includes 15-second song previews for viewers. The viewer can tap the “Play on Spotify” button in the story to open the Spotify app. Spotify sa…
Battle of the Free Trial — Apple Music Extends Its Trial Period to 4 Months
Apple Music wasted little time one-upping Spotify’s recently-expanded free trial. Spotify recently increased its free trial period to three months for new subscribers. Now, the battle between the two services might be ramping up, with streaming newbie…
Apple Music Tries to Kill Stale Playlists With a Human-Curated ‘New Music Daily’
Apple Music has launched a new human-curated playlist that updates on the daily. The new playlist is called New Music Daily, and it aims to provide a look at the newest tracks in music. The debut lead single for the playlist is Taylor Swift’s “The Man,…
Pandora Expands Its Indie Artist Submission Tools — But Will This Help Emerging Artists Grow Their Audiences?
Pandora is revamping its Artist Marketing Platform (AMP) to include indie artists. Pandora AMP is a suite of analytics features for artists to see more granular information about their fans and activity. Song-by-song spins, demographics, and market re…