Spotify Says 1 out of 2 ‘Engaged’ Free Users Convert to Premium

Spotify’s got a tough fight ahead to retain the position as the no. 1 music streaming service in the world. The company has already been bumped to the #2 spot behind Apple Music in the United States, at least in terms of paying subscribers.  But …

Google’s ‘Sound Search’ Is Now a Serious Threat to Shazam

One of the best features for the Pixel 2 series of smartphones was Google’s addition of the Now Playing feature, which added always-on music recognition. The service is much better than Google’s own Sound Search and third-party services lik…

Exclusive: U.S. Court of Appeals Upholds Webcaster Royalty Rates for 2016-2020

The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. has just issued its determinations for webcaster royalty rates for 2016-2020. Yes, there’s something else going on in Washington this week. Today (September 18th), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Di…

Americans Listen to 151 Minutes of Music Each Day

So, just how much music do you really listen to?  And, how do you spend your music listening time? In Audio Monitor US 2018, a joint study on music habits in the US, Music Biz and AudienceNet have found most Americans still listen to more music on the …

Experts Call for Authoritative Database on Drug Overdoses at Australian Music Festivals

So, would the creation of an authoritative database really cut down on drug overdoses at a music festival?  Or, would it lead to harsher and more restrictive measures against festivalgoers? Following the deaths of two young adult festivalgoers over the…

Pandora Has an Answer for Spotify’s ‘New Release Radar’

Likely in response to Spotify’s personalized playlists, such as the New Release Radar and Discover Weekly, Pandora has introduced what it calls “The Drop”. “The Drop” is a custom playlist intended for Pandora’s premi…

Spotify Set to Launch in the Middle East and North Africa This November

Spotify moves forward with its plan to go international and hopefully turn a profit in the process.  But, does this mean major labels and publishers have already fallen in line? According to a leaked internal e-mail, Spotify will launch in the Middle E…

Childish Gambino Alleges ‘Willful & Malicious’ Royalty Fraud by Glassnote Records

The legal battle between Donald Glover and his former record label is heating up after the performer filed a counterclaim last week. Better known as Childish Gambino, Glover says that label Glassnote Records has been miscalculating costs in an alleged …

The Music Modernization Act Is Getting Fast-Tracked In the Senate — With None of Sirius XM’s Demands

A modified version of the controversial Music Modernization Act is now getting fast-tracked in the Senate, with a new bill circulated Friday evening. Some shrewd maneuvering is happening on Capitol Hill, with a fast-tracked vote for the Music Moderniza…

Lily Allen Describes Attempted Rape by a ‘Record Industry Executive’

Lily Allen has detailed her account of a sexual assault she experienced at the hands of an unnamed ‘record industry executive’. Allen warns that such abuses are common in the music industry in her recently released book.  She believes the #…