Spotify is sitting on one of the most important datasets in the entire music industry. Which means they can identify the most important emerging artists. If you think Spotify is a speculative bubble, then you’re right. But only if the company r…
Category archives: Feature Story
XXXTentacion Accused of Plagiarism on the Song ‘Never’
XXXTentacion isn’t here to defend himself. But these allegations of plagiarism look pretty convincing. Did XXXTentacion steal someone else’s music, simply add his voice, and pass it off as his own? That’s the pretty convincing alleg…
YouTube Views Will Now Count in UK Singles Chart
The Official Charts Company won’t count ‘spam’ YouTube music video plays, so, tough luck, Chris Brown. The Official Charts Company (OCC) has announced it will now include music video plays from YouTube in its UK Singles chart. The move comes after the…
Latest Industry: Hard Rock Cafe’s Giant Gaffe, Spotify’s Data, iHeartMedia, Berklee College, Khalid, Bravalla Festival, More…
Got Rhythem? The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, is now walking off a jumbo-sized gaffe. Ahead of a splashy unveiling, the casino hoisted a 30-foot tall Gibson Les Paul on Thursday. Just one problem. The famous rhythm/treble switc…
What Killed Vinnie Paul? Pantera Drummer Dead at 54; Autopsy Underway
Another tragic death has hit the music industry. Vinnie Paul, drummer and founding member of Pantera, died in his sleep over the weekend. Legendary drummer Vinnie Paul abruptly passed away over the weekend, according to official word from both Pantera …
Spotify Can Boost an Artist’s Royalties by $168,000 With One Playlist Add, Study Calculates
Spotify now has the power to make an artist famous — with one playlist add. It also can dramatically boost an artist’s earnings with a simple drag n’ drop. According to a study recently conducted by the University of Minnesota and the Euro…
YouTube Unveils Out-of-Touch Monetization Features for Creators
YouTube has proven once again that yes, it’s out of touch with the needs of its core community. YouTube is in a tough spot. New legislation may finally force Google to pay the music industry millions in copyright royalties for infringing content. As t…
XXXTentacion Refused to Beef Up Security Prior to His Death
XXXTentacion refused to add a security detail prior to his death, according to his attorney. The rapper was completely unprotected during his recent assault. XXXTentacion had absolutely no security protection when he was murdered earlier this week. I…
Can We Stop Pretending K-Pop is Popular?
The Internet is a giant amplifier, making things seem like a bigger deal than they really are. Step into the right echo chamber, and whatever you think is cool is instantly a million times cooler, with none of that pesky “perspective” getting in the wa…
Instagram’s Just-Launched IGTV Will Include Music Rights Management & Monetization
Instagram’s IGTV could seriously change the game for music video monetization — starting in just a few months. Instagram’s long-form video platform could seriously shake up music video monetization, while finally giving industry a YouTube a…