To Halt Rampant Fake Streams on Spotify, the Music Industry Signs Anti-Manipulation Code of Conduct

Admittedly, the music industry has a major problem – fake streams. Three years ago, for example, Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv (DN) found Jay-Z’s music streaming service, TIDAL, flat-out lied about its total streaming numbers for two popular al…

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek Says Artists May Get Paid Better Using Facebook’s Cryptocurrency, the Libra

Several days ago, and confirming a previously leaked report, Facebook unveiled its new cryptocurrency project – the Libra – which Spotify readily supported. The social media company also introduced the Calibra, its new global subsidiary.  The subsidiar…

Fake Streams Are Costing Artists $300 Million a Year, Indie Label Estimates

Streaming platforms are growing exponentially, but is all of that growth organic? Indie labels are increasingly worried about the legitimacy of their streaming numbers. Indie Week was held this past week and featured some interesting panels from artist…

Apple Music Selects Megan Thee Stallion as Its Up Next Artist

Apple Music has revitalized Up Next and queued up its latest artist. Houston native rapper Megan Thee Stallion – real name Megan Pete – has been selected as Apple Music’s featured artist.  Her mother, Holly Thomas, had rapped under the name Holly-Wood….

As Peloton Battles Lawsuits, SoulCycle Launches Sirius and Pandora Channels

SiriusXM and SoulCycle have entered a partnership to create a new SoulCycle Radio station and bring select playlists to Pandora. SoulCycle Radio will feature music curated by SoulCycle instructors, with inspirational messages peppered throughout. The f…

Spotify Officially Signs On to Support Facebook’s New Cryptocurrency — the Libra

According to a leaked report from the Wall Street Journal last week, Spotify had signed on to support Facebook’s cryptocurrency project. Over two dozen other companies were rumored to be supporting the cryptocurrency, dubbed the ‘Libra.’  Each company …

Taylor Swift Breaks Apple Music’s ‘Pre-Add’ Streaming Record — Sorry, What’s a ‘Pre-Add’ Again?

Taylor Swift’s upcoming Lover album has broken the record for most ‘pre-added albums’ by a female artist on Apple Music. Pre-adds are Apple’s unique lingo for pre-orders of a streaming music album. Swift’s album achieved 178,600 pre-adds worldwide in t…

Apple Music Secures Trademark Filing in Canada for Its ‘Up Next’ Documentary Series

Several years ago, Apple Music officially unveiled a ‘now-forgotten’ mini-documentary series. In an effort to place the spotlight on its then-growing indie music catalog, the monthly series – dubbed Up Next – would focus on up-and-coming artists. The f…

Spotify Reportedly Signs On to Support Facebook’s New Cryptocurrency, the Libra

Spotify has reportedly jumped on the lengthy backers’ list for Facebook’s new project. For more than a year, Facebook has quietly worked on a new cryptocurrency dubbed the Libra.  Now, the company has prepared to formally unveil the project this week. …

Pandora Launches an Advertising Consultancy to Improve Audio Ads… on Pandora

Pandora announces ‘Studio Resonate’ to help advertisers craft optimal audio commercials. Pandora, now wholly-owned by Sirius XM, just revealed Studio Resonate, an internal branch designed to help interested individuals, companies, and groups optimize t…