According to a new report from Swedish music site, Di Digital, Spotify founder Martin Lorentzon has sold nearly $41 million in shares. The Swedish source says that SEC documents reveal that the sale happened back in July, shortly after the company̵…
Category archives: music streaming
European Commission Granting ‘Unconditional Approval’ to Apple’s Shazam Acquisition, Report Says
Apple + Shazam: It’s a deal that’s getting ‘recognized’ by European authorities! The European Commission (EC) is set to approve a $400 million buyout of Shazam, according to a Reuters report surfacing this evening (August 22nd)….
Napster Proves That Streaming Music Can Be Profitable
Paid only. Lower subscriptions. No IPO. And, a small profit. What could Spotify and other streaming music services stand to learn from Napster? Last month, Spotify reported a new record in its Q2 2018 financial report. The Swedish streaming platfor…
It Begins: Amazon Taps Yo-Yo Ma for a 36 Episode Alexa-Powered Music Series
Should Spotify and Apple Music be very, very afraid? Amazon is now aiming to crack Spotify and Apple’s lead in music streaming through a new marketing blitz featuring Alexa and famous musicians. Alongside a major advertising campaign for its Ale…
Spotify Is Doubling Down on Podcasting — Starting With ‘Ebb & Flow’
Spotify is looking to make a bigger splash in podcasting with its own original branded content. The new podcast series is called “Ebb & Flow,” and Spotify is hailing it as a place where hip-hop and R&B artists can get real with thei…
Amazon Is Planning a Major Advertising Blitz for Its Streaming Music Platform
Is Alexa Amazon’s secret weapon for taking on Spotify and Apple Music? In the global music market, Spotify reigns supreme. The company now has well over 83 million subscribers. Yet, with 50 million subscribers, Apple Music currently controls key marke…
Nicki Minaj Accuses Spotify of Retaliating Against Her After She Partnered With Apple Music
Nicki Minaj says a retaliation campaign by Spotify harmed the success of her latest album, Queen. The retribution included a refusal to honor an agreed-upon promotional push on Spotify’s platform, according to the artist. This sounds like a pret…
Spotify Reported 2 Million Ad-Blocking Users In March — Here’s What They’re Doing About It
Spotify has a giant ad-supported tier, so it wasn’t entirely surprising to learn that two million people were actively blocking ads on the platform. That said, it wasn’t exactly good news to anyone whose content rests on the platform. Afte…
Sony Music Releases 300+ Prince Songs Recorded Between 1995-2010
Beginning in 2021, Sony/Legacy’s distributions rights will also include 12 Prince non-soundtrack catalog albums. Several months ago, The Prince Estate and Sony Music Entertainment (SME) reached an exclusive deal. Under terms of the agreement, SME/Legac…
DistroKid Is Offering ‘Mastered for iTunes’ Certification to Unsigned Artists
Apple’s ‘Mastered for iTunes’ classification has mostly been reserved for big labels due to the expense, with very few indie or unsigned artists obtaining the certification for their iTunes downloads or AAC streams. Bucking that trend…