A Third-Party Apple Music Web Player Has More Than 200,000 Users

  Students at the University of Kent have created a web-based Apple Music player, filling a need Apple has so far ignored. Musish launched five months ago, and since then, the web-based player has attracted over 200,000 users. Musish is careful to note…

FIX Delivers a Much-Needed Music Rewards System — With 600,000 Early Takers

FIX, from Toronto-based Fan Integrated Experiences LTD, has crossed the half-a-million mark on a reinvented music rewards concept. The problem — which is where a lot of entrepreneurs and investors begin — is that fan experiences remain fragmented in 20…

Russell Simmons’ All Def Digital President Spins Massive Layoffs Rumor as Part of a ‘Strategic Deal’

Several months ago, and to avoid prosecution over multiple sexual assaults, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons fled to Indonesia. The country doesn’t have an existing extradition treaty with the U.S.  This means if found guilty, he can continue to hide in t…

Spotify Lite Officially Rolls Out to 36 Countries

Last summer, and to beat the competition in emerging markets, Spotify quietly unveiled an alternative version of its app. Dubbed Spotify Lite, the company first tested the 15 MB app in Brazil. Visually, both apps look similar.  Yet, under the hood, the…

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sues Iconix Brand Group Over Massive Accounting Fraud

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation is alleging a massive book-cooking cover-up. Roc Nation, LLC, the entertainment company founded by Jay-Z in 2008, is suing Iconix Brand Group, Inc. Jay-Z alleges that Iconix exaggerated its profits and cooked its books in order to si…

Looks Like Spotify Is Launching In Russia at Just $2.36 a Month

Spotify appears to be poking into the Russian market this summer with a price that beats Apple Music. The music streaming service was supposed to launch in Russia in 2015, before abruptly canceling those plans. Now Spotify will likely launch later this…

Following Homophobic Threats, Lil Nas X Doubles Down on ‘Home of Phobics’

It’s only been a couple of days since “Old Town Road” rapper Lil Nas X revealed he’s gay on the last day of Pride Month. Since the big reveal, Lil Nas X has faced tons of homophobic remarks on social media. He’s even been targeted by Boosie Badazz and …

The Week’s Top U.S. Festivals & Tours, Presented by SeatGeek

The most popular concert tickets, tour stops, and artists around the country, through Wednesday, July 3rd. Welcome back to our weekly report on the world of live music, based on exclusive data from SeatGeek, a ticketing platform that enables fans to bu…

Apple Music Returns to ‘Exclusives’ — This Time Signing French Rap Duo PNL

Shortly after launching its music streaming service, then-Head of Apple Music, Jimmy Iovine, pursued a controversial ‘exclusive’ feature. The company had offered listeners the opportunity to stream ‘album exclusives.’ This meant major stars, including …

“Detained and Deported,” Iranian Officials Place Joss Stone on a Blacklist

As part of her global tour, Joss Stone touched down in Iran. There was just one problem – she wasn’t scheduled to perform in the country. The English singer and songwriter had aimed to perform in every country.  Stone had previously held gigs in Syria,…