Spotify Expands Its Podcast+Music Combo Playlist Strategy Into Germany

Spotify is launching its personalized mix of music, news, and podcasts in Germany. Will the strategy be successful? Last month Spotify announced US users can combine music and podcasts within their playlists. Users can add podcasts to existing playlist…

UK Watchdog Says Fender Engaged In Price Fixing Online

Watchdog agency the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says Fender likely engaged in illegal price-fixing online. The CMA says Fender’s European branch “impeded competitive online pricing” from 2013 to 2018. The US guitar maker imposed a minimum s…

DJs You Are Warned ⁠— Do NOT Upgrade Into MacOS Catalina

Apple removed iTunes in macOS Catalina, wrecking most DJ software. The solution seems to be not to upgrade for now. With the removal of iTunes in Catalina, users lost support for XML files and native playback on Macs. The XML file loss is a massive blo…

Sonos Introduces Speaker Rentals ⁠— Would You Pay To Rent High-End Sound?

Sonos has launched a new subscription service for its connected home speakers. Sonos Flex subscriptions start at €15 ($16.50 USD) per month and can be cancelled anytime. It seems as though the high-end speaker manufacturer is borrowing a page out of Ap…

TikTok Bans All Political and Advocacy Advertising on the Platform

TikTok is setting itself apart from Facebook and Twitter by banning political and advocacy advertising. In a blog posted on Friday, TikTok confirmed it will not allow political ads on the platform. TikTok recently came under fire for adhering to Chines…

YouTube Set To Debut Mark Ronson Documentary This Month

YouTube has revealed a new documentary entitled, How to Be: Mark Ronson will premiere on October 12. The new release will feature unreleased footage covering the 44-year-olds rise to fame in the music business. The documentary also features exclusive i…

Are Albums Dying? ⁠— 15% of Music Fans Under 25 Don’t Listen To Full Releases

Streaming service Deezer dug into the UK’s listening habits for ‘National Album Day.’ Are albums dying? A recent survey of over 2,000 adults in the UK found that 42% are putting their favorite songs on playlists. The under 25 age bracket is more likely…

R. Kelly Denied Bail By New York Judge In Sex Abuse Case

A judge has denied R. Kelly bail in the sex-abuse case filed against him. The judge agreed with prosecutors that he posed a flight risk. U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly denied the defense motion to release R. Kelly on bond. The motion also called for …

Ticketmaster Formally Apologizes to Billie Eilish Fans Over Its Presale Meltdown

Ticketmaster issued a written apology to Billie Eilish fans over a presale snafu. Presale tickets went on sale yesterday through the Verified Fan program. The program aims to offer early access to tickets to dedicated fans at a ‘fair price’ — however d…

LG Wireless Earbuds Cater To Germaphobes With UV Light

Both Amazon and Microsoft unveiled their new wireless earbuds this week. LG is setting itself apart with a unique feature. The LG Tone+ Free wireless earbuds feature a bacteria-killing UV light in their case. The light kills any bacteria on the earbuds…