Author archives: Bruce Houghton

PledgeMusic Issues An Incomplete Update

PledgeMusic issued an update late on Friday, but failed to address the core concerns of artists affected by non-payments and the complete suspension of all crowdfunding campaigns almost two weeks ago. Messaging to fans, which had been experiencing some problems, was again operational as is the ability to download of…

UMG Revenue Grew 10% In 2018, Streaming Up 37%

Universal Music Group revenue grew 10% to $6.8 billion USD in 2018 when compared to 2017. The “A Star Is Born” soundtrack, Drake, Post Malone, The Beatles and XXXTentacion were the yer’s best sellers for the world’s largest music group. Recorded music revenues grew 9.8% led by streaming revenues which…

Article 13 Finalized And It Will Change The Music Industry

EU negotiators have agreed on the final text of the new sweeping Copyright Directive in the Digital Single Market, including language on the contentious Article 13 clause. The finalization of the text was one of the last roadblocks to the approval of the directive by the European Parliament and presaged…

Bankrupt RPM Distribution Owes $6.7 Million To Labels

Following the sudden closure of Canada’s largest independent vinyl distributor RPM last month, details surrounding the company’s bankruptcy have begun to emerge. A sworn statement filed by RPM president Paul Herzog in Ontario court reveals the company owes $8.9 million CND / $6.7M USD in liabilities. The majority of the…

SoundCloud Now Has 5X As Many Tracks As Spotify

SoundCloud has officially passed 200 million tracks uploaded. The milestone makes the streamer’s catalog four to five times larger than its competitors with Apple Music and Spotify estimated to have catalogs in the 40 million range. As the world’s largest open audio platform, SoundCloud hosts such diverse audio as Chance…

PledgeMusic Silent One Week After All Campaigns Suspended

The suspension of all crowdfunding campaigns on PledgeMusic continued Thursday, a full week after they began. The company has been silent since all week, leaving thousands of musicians in the dark; and in many cases, owed tens of thousands of dollars in funds pledged by fans. Attempts to contribute to…

Qobuz Launches Hybrid Hi-Res Music Service In US

Qobuz is launching its hi-res streaming music service in the U.S. today. Unlike other music streamers, Qobuz offers download sales alongside streaming. Downloads are said to account for 30% of the company’s revenue. Subscriptions to Qobuz range from $9.99 for mp3 quality up to $24.99 for 24 bit FLAC to…

Music Industry Veterans Launch Global Sweetshop Management, Marketing Agency

New integrated talent management and digital marketing agency Sweetshop has launched with offices in Los Angeles, London, Shanghai, Bangkok, Auckland, Sydney, and Melbourne. The company was founded by CEO Angus Imlach, who previously served as the LA-based talent director at Crowdmix, while its core team includes the likes of former…

THU. BRIEF: Qobuz Launches US Hi-Res Streaming – Music Supervisor Awards – Beatport + DJ City – Sofar – More

THURSDAY 2.14.19
Music Business News From Around The Web
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