THU. BRIEF: Airbnb Gets Into Music • Anchor FM Raises $2.8M • Royalty Rates Reviewed • More

Thursday 3.9.17 Music Business News From Around The Web Music + Airbnb: Music continues to be the great connector, but the only way left to monetize seems to be live. Updated continuously under our More News tab

New Spotify Web Player Gets Bad Reviews From Users

[UPDATE] Spotify launched a new version of its web player on Tuesday. It’s a major updates with changes to layout, artist pages, and search. So far, many of the comments from users have been negative. "Oh, cool, they’ve upgraded Spotify Web Player and made it worse in every single way!,"…

Spotify Could Use It’s New Acquisition To Take On Soundcloud

Last year rumors swirled that Spotify was in talks to buy SoundCloud. Spotify’s interest eventually waned, apparently because it did not want strain it’s pre-IPO balance sheet. But a new Spotify acquisition could make it possible – even easy – for them to become a SoundCloud-like home for the millions…

Alternative Power 100 List Honors Women In The Music Business

Only 14 women were among the 153 honored in this year’s Billboard Power 100. On this International Women’s Day, music industry network SheSaid.So has released their second Alternative Power 100 Music List to honor work of the many more women music industry movers and shakers. Andreea Magdalina "The Alternative Power…

Label Services Firm Ditto Music Expands to US With LA Office

Digital distributor and record label services provider Ditto Music is opening its first U.S. office in Los Angeles to serve as a new hub for its portfolio of products. In connection with the expansion Ditto recently signed The Killer’s Mark Stoermer to a worldwide deal. Other current U.S. Ditto clients…

WED. BRIEF: Int’l Women’s Day • Spotify Player Backlash • Shinoda MIDEM Keynote • iHeartRadio Hack Day • More

3.8.17 Music Business News From Around The Web ‘To the doubters and naysayers and everyone who gave me hell and said I could not, that I would not or I must not – your resistance made me stronger, made me push harder, made me the fighter that I am today….

Pandora [NYSE: P] Stock Falls Another 6.5%, After Liberty Media CEO Disses Streamer Yet Again

Pandora stock closed down 6.5% at $11.66 on Tuesday after Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei again called the music streamer overvalued, this time at the an investor conference Monday. But is Maffei just doing his best to drive the price down prior to make the Pandora acquisition that his Sirius…

Spotify Acquires Audio Detection Startup Sonalytic To Improve Publishing Data

Spotify has acquired Sonalytic, a UK based startup that specializes in audio identification that enables us to connect creators and rights-holders to monetization opportunities. _____________________________ Spotify announced today that it has acquired Sonalytic, a UK based startup focused on audio detection technology that identifies songs, mixed content, stems and clips,…

How Accurate Are All Those Music Subscription Subscriber Numbers?

In the wake of Spotify’s big announcement that they had recently hit 50 million subscribers, Chris Castle takes a moment to examine the accuracy of streaming companies reports regarding just how many committed paying customers they really have. _________________________________ Guest post by Chris Castle of Music Tech Solutions All of…

Jay Z’s Roc Nation Announces New Startup Platform ARRIVE

Jay Z is thought of as the consummate hip hop businessman; and certainly he’s visible and often successful in multiple arenas. Now, he’s created a vehicle to help startups dubbed ARRIVE. ______________________________ Jay Z and his umbrella company Roc Nation have announced a new platform, ARRIVE, that will partner with…