Music Downloads Tank 27.4% as Format Nears Extinction

Song downloads tanked nearly 30% during the first half of this year, according to US-based stats from Nielsen.  So how long does this format last? Hey, the woolly mammoth also had a good run.  But despite a decade of relatively strong sales, the paid d…

Apple Music Will Have 3 Million More U.S. Subscribers Than Spotify by Christmas, Executives Say

Apple Music is now in the passing lane on Spotify, with a wider lead in U.S. subscribers expected by the end of the year. Last week, sources to Digital Music News reported that Apple Music had surpassed Spotify in US-based paying subscribers.  That was…

Ahead of Trump’s Visit, Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ Soars in UK Charts

Well, at least with ‘American Idiot,’ we know how UK music fans really feel about President Donald Trump. Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ has steadily climbed the UK charts ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit. Yesterday, the song became Amazon’s No. 1…

An Ugly Legal Battle Is Brewing Between Childish Gambino and Glassnote Records

Legal warfare is brewing between Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, and his former label Glassnote Records. We’re now at the early stages of a legal battle between Donald Glover and his former label, Glassnote Records.  And after a serious impa…

Spotify Is Poised to Make Another $3 Billion — Thanks to Tencent Music’s Upcoming IPO

Tencent Holdings had been reportedly planning for a Tencent Music IPO.  Now, it looks like those plans will officially go forth. After a strategic alliance was formed with Spotify last year, Tencent will attempt to follow in the footsteps of its wester…

An Anime-Focused Streaming Music Service Is Coming In August

Want your favorite anime music without having to tune in to any shows?  You’re in luck: a highly-specialized streaming music service is debuting in America in August. Since the 1960s, music from anime has begun to develop into its own popular sub…

Apple Music Just Surpassed Spotify’s U.S. Subscriber Count

Apple Music has now surpassed Spotify’s US-based subscriber tally — and plans to widen the lead by Christmas. Apple Music has more US-based, paying subscribers in the United States than Spotify, according to confidential details shared with Digit…

Tencent Music Is About to File for a $30 Billion IPO

Spotify changed Wall Street forever with its $30 billion ‘non-IPO’.  Now, Tencent Music wants to do the same, albeit through more traditional channels. We’ve written about the unbelievable transformations happening in the Chinese musi…

Google Spends Over $36 Million to Scuttle the European Union’s Copyright Directive Initiative

Just how far is Google willing to go to avoid paying artists what’s fair? Several weeks ago, the European Union Legal Affairs Committee ruled on a controversial measure.  Dubbed Article 13, internet tech giants – including Facebook, Google, Microsoft –…

Spotify Is Issuing Refunds to Subscribers Who Felt Spammed by Drake

Spotify is now refunding at least some subscribers who felt spammed by ‘Drake ads’ this past weekend. Drake is laughing all the way to the bank.  Spotify, on the other hand, may have some cleaning up to do.  Now, a highly-vocal group of ang…