YouTube Originals Debuts a K-Pop Travel Documentary Series

A new travel documentary featuring K-pop boy bands Super Junior and TVXQ! is coming to YouTube Originals. The travel doc will debut on October 9th with twelve episodes of the boys. Analog Trip in Indonesia will feature at least two members of TVXQ! and…

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…

Jammber Acquires TuneRegistry to Conquer the ‘Evermore Fragmented Global Music Rights Ecosystem’

Jammber has announced it has acquired music rights management company TuneRegistry. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Jammber aims to use the platform for its royalty management capabilities. Jammber is launching a new royalty-splitting app…

Synergy Global Entertainment Files For Bankruptcy With $8.4 Million In Debt

John Reese’s Synergy Global Entertainment is in serious trouble. Early reports suggest the festival promoter is awash in $8.4 million worth of debt.  Lawyers for the festival promoter have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in California’s Centr…

GRiZ Teams Up With Twitch Streamer DrLupo for a Charity Fortnite Livestream

GRiZ will team up with Fortnite streamer DrLupo for a four-hour global charity event. Video game streaming has become a massive force for good in the gaming community. The four-hour stream will be a fundraiser for the largest global suicide prevention …

Sony/ATV Signs King Princess to a Worldwide Publishing Deal

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has signed 20-year-old King Princess to a worldwide publishing deal. The deal spans the full catalog of the indie singer, songwriter, and producer. Born Mikaela Straus, the singer made her debut in February 2018 with “1950.” T…

Sony Unveils First Streaming Compatible Walkman with MQA Support

Sony is launching a new streaming Walkman, headphones, and speakers at IFA 2019. The Walkman is arguably the most well-known portable music device from the 80s and 90s. Its dominance was only supplanted by the arrival of the iPod and .mp3 dominance. No…

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…

Vinyl Sales to Overtake CDs for the First Time Since 1986

Sales of vinyl records are likely to overtake CDs for the first time since 1986. Last week, we reported on a healthy boom in first-half streaming numbers for the U.S.-based recorded music industry.  But digging deeper into the physical sales story, an …