Author archives: Bruce Houghton

Austin’s Prism Raises $2.2M For Live Music Booking And Management Software

Austin-based music tech startup Prism has raised a $2.2 million seed round. Prism’s software simplifies the booking and management of live music events. Last night, Prism hosted the Annual Music Tech Mashup and is hosting the SXSW Official Live Music Meet-up at Empire Control Room from 4-7PM on Wednesday, March…

All Spotify Premium Subscribers Now Get Free Hulu

Spotify subscribers now get Hulu as part of their $9.99 Premium memberships, expanding their existing partnership. The promotion, which extends to all U.S. Spotify Premium individual subscribers adds Hulu’s ad-supported plan at no additional cost. The ad-supported tier of Hulu usually costs $5.99 a month. Existing Hulu-billed subscribers who have…

Red Hot Chili Peppers To Livestream From Giza Pyramids

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced a historic first-ever free concert livestream from the Giza Pyramids. While details are scarce, it will take place this Friday, March 15 at 11 am PT / 2pm ET. Commenting on the historic event, RHCP bassist Flea said in a statement: “Before each…

I AM Pop Raises $2.2M As BMG, Orchard Sign On To Fan Messaging Platform

Fan messaging platform I AM POP has secured $2.2 million in funding to integrate I AM POP’s chat editor into other messaging apps beyond Facebook Messenger. With social media newsfeeds now delivering engagement rates as low as 2%, I AM POP boasts average open rates of 94%. Recent adopters of…

From Azoff To Slipknot, Music Biz Condemns Spotify, Google Attack On Songwriter Rates Increase

Late last week Spotify, Pandora, Google and Amazon announced they were teaming appeal the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board ruling increasing streaming payouts to songwriters by 44%. The four will file a action with the D.C. Court of Appeals. Now, artists and the industry are reacting, condemning the tech giants and…

Measuring Return On Investment, Defining Success In The Music Business

This week Michael Brandvold and Jay Gilbert discuss a question sent in by Music Biz Weekly podcast listener Ashworth Wiltshire: “Can you guys talk about another dirty subject, Return On Investment (ROI), as related to the budget.” The co-hosts added a…

ASCAP ‘I Create Music Expo’ Adds Performers, Speakers

ASCAP has announced the latest round of speakers and panelists for its 2019 “I Create Music” EXPO . On the heels of his Oscar win for Best Original Song, “Shallow” co-writer Anthony Rossomando will look back on his two-decade journey to co- penning the anthemic Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper…

Move Over Spotify, YouTube Has A Major Samsung Deal Too

Samsung Galaxy customers will a free limited YouTube Premium! subscription which includes ad-free access to both YouTube and Google’s latest streaming service, YouTube Music. The news came on the same day that Spotify announced that it will come pre-loaded on millions of Samsung phones and other devices. Samsung Galaxy S10…

EMI Counter-Sues Kanye West For Breach Of Contract

Kanye West has been hit with a lawsuit by his longtime music publishing company EMI, alleging breach of contract. The suit, filed in Federal court in Manhattan, follows Kanye’s own January lawsuit against EMI in which he claimed that his contract violated California law because it lasted more than seven…