It’s wrong to cut and paste Global North policies onto Africa’s music industries

Music streaming services have generated years of consistent revenue growth for rights holders in developed countries, making them the dominant source of revenue for recordings worldwide.
Music in Africa

Back To The Past: Why The Vintage Sound Is Becoming So Popular In Indie Music

While nostalgia in entertainment is nothing new, the indie music scene has been witnessing a particularly large wave of it recently with a number of bands adopting an audio aesthetic heavily reminiscent of the 70s/80s and even earlier. Here we explore why, and where the trend is headed. _____________________________ Guest…

Pop Is Still The #1 Music Genre Worldwide

A new report is out from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry or (IFPI) looking at how music is being enjoyed the world over, and which genre’s are the most popular internationally. Perhaps unsurprisingly, pop reigns king, continuing to occupy the number one slot. _________________________ Guest post by Bobby…

73% Of Fans Never Listen To An Album In Order That The Artist Intended

EU based music streamer Deezer surveyed UK fans and found that 49% are listening to fewer full albums than they were just 3 -5 years ago. The survey found that 42% were putting favorite songs on shuffle or playing individual tracks. Under 25, the stat rises to 55%. Key Takeaways…

A Critical Look At Spotify PR Firm Virtuoso Music

In this review, Brian Hazard of Color Theory walks us through his recent experience using the Spotify PR service Virtuoso Music, whether the service delivered on it’s promises, and whether or not it might be right for you. ____________________________ Guest post Brian Hazard of Passive Promotion It’s always a good…

What Bad Wolves’ Success Can Teach All Musicians [INTERVIEW]

Here James Shotwell chats with Bad Wolves, a rock and roll group who have been able to cultivate success in a genre some had deemed dead. In this interview, they detail how they found success with their recent cover of ‘Zombie’ and how the group’s collective experience in the music…

CMG Announces Capitol Royale Music Conference, Hackathon, Showcases, Wax Record Fair

Capitol Music Group has announced its second annual Capitol Royale on November 15-17. The music and tech festival will celebrate “Music on the Move” by bringing together creatives, coders, designers, startups and fans to explore innovations being made across multiple music touchpoints. Bandsintown, Bose, SDL, gener8tor, ConsenSys, Spin, Glitch, Cloudinary,…

RIAA To Host Key Streaming Policy Panel At Mondo.NYC

The RIAA promises to cut through the complexities of consent decrees, the Mechanical Licensing Collective and other issues related to streaming in an intensive 60 minutes session at the Mondo. NYC conference later this month. Hosted by RIAA Chairman and CEO, Mitch Glazier, “Everything You Need to Know About Streaming…

David Lowery Reminds Musicians To File For Share Of $10M Rhapsody, Napster Songwriter Settlement

David Lowery of Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker led a class action lawsuit against Rhapsody (aka Napster). The case, which alleged the streamer had unlawfully reproduced and distributed copyrighted compositions, has preliminarily settled, and musicians may be entitled to compensation. “I’m really proud of my advocacy on behalf of independent…