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…
Category archives: music streaming
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…
Apple Music Selects Gay Times as an Official Playlist Curator
Apple Music has been busy as of late. Last month, the music streaming service applied for a trademark filing in Canada. Apple Music was busy resurrecting its forgotten mini-documentary series focusing on up-and-coming artists – Up Next. Then, just day…
Spotify Signs an Exclusive Podcasting Deal with Kevin Bacon
Spotify has signed an exclusive agreement with well-known actor and musician Kevin Bacon, who will star in a scripted comedy podcast, I’m Gonna Be Kevin Bacon, in the near future. The project is happening, though a specific release date hasn’t yet been…
Vodafone’s ‘My Muze’ Music Streaming App Quietly Reaches Over a Million Downloads in South Africa
In March 2018, Spotify went live in South Africa. The company would offer local users a Premium subscription for R5.99, or about $0.42 USD at the time. Yet, the low price only lasted for a short time. Shortly after the introductory offer – good for on…
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 …
Apple Quietly Expands Siri Support for 100,000+ Radio Stations
Apple has added support for over 100,000 live radio stations through its integration with TuneIn and iHeartRadio. Siri users on iPhone, iPad, and HomePod devices can now access these radio stations. Apple first announced the upcoming integration at WWD…
Chance the Rapper Couldn’t Clear the Sample in ‘Juice’ — So He Turned the Problem Into a Charitable Cause
On Friday, Chance the Rapper released two of his earliest mixtapes – 10 Day and Acid Rap. Across multiple streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL, and Deezer, old and new fans alike could enjoy the rapper’s works. This comes ahead of …
Spotify Abruptly Shuts Down Its Direct Upload & Distribution Plans — Artists Have 30 Days to Transition
Spotify is slamming the brakes on its ambitious direct upload and distribution plans. Spotify’s ambitious expansion into artist distribution is now being abruptly shut down. According to an email sent to artists participating in its beta-stage launch, …
Surprise! Spotify Hands Over Your Personal Information to Major Labels When Using ‘Pre-Save’
Spotify currently doesn’t have the best reputation right now. This year alone, the company has gone to war with songwriters over much-needed royalty payments, lost multiple high-profile executives, destroyed its relationship with Warner/Chappell and Wa…