Pandora Paid $500 Million In Royalties In Last 9 Months

A service like Pandora generating $500 million in payments to artists and songwriters in 9 months was almost imaginable just 5 years ago. And while some wish it were more, the milestone stands as an example of what building sustainable artist revenue streams can look like in 2016 and beyond….

Radiohead Issues Press Release: ‘Brian Message Is NOT Our Manager’

For years, outspoken music industry critic Brian Message has been identified as Radiohead’s manager. Apparently tired of being linked to him, Radiohead took the unusual step of issuing a strong statement saying that Message never was their manager and does not speak for them. Here it is via The Trichordist:…

Get An Honest Opinion Of Your Music

While friends and family are (usually) good at being supportive of your music, they will often spare your feelings when it comes to providing feedback on your music, which is less than helpful as far as improving your product is concerned. For more constructive criticism, AudioKite is here to help….

SoundCloud Expands Sony/ATV Deal To Europe, In Effort To Launch SoundCloud Go Globally

SoundCloud wants to take its GO paid subscription service global; and a new deal with Sony/ATV, who has had a deal with SoundCloud in the US since the 2014 launch of its monetization efforts, extends the partnership to Europe. __________________________________ Top music publisher Sony/ATV today announced a direct deal with…

Streaming Is More Than A Wave – It’s Now the Sea In Which the Music Business Swims

Like it or not, streaming is quickly becoming the dominant means through which consumers listen to music, and while many frequently dismiss streaming for its failure to pay artists the proper royalties which they are owed, it has become the largest money-maker for the American music industry. __________________________________ Guest Post…

This Week In Music Commentary

Led Zeppelin’s headed to court over alleged song theft, why we need pirate radio more than ever, and deep exploration of IFPI’s Global Music Report as we listen in on the week’s music commentary Led Zeppelin Copyright Case To Go Jury, But Band Will Likely Lose Why We Need Pirate…

The Launch Of SoundCloud Go Leaves Unanswered Questions

In an attempt to throw their hat in the already rather full on-demand streaming ring, SoundCloud has launched the service SoundCloud Go and, although the service has interesting potential, there remain several unanswered questions regarding things like how artists will get paid, or how royalties are being calculated. _____________________________ Guest…

#MTFLabs: Blockchain Tech Meetup

As part of a lead in to Music Tech Fest Berlin, some of the music industry’s best minds are coming together for a five day blockchain laboratory, to explore and experiment with the possibilities presented by this innovative new technology and its potential to make the music industry a more…

3 Subscription Models For Indie Artists

While our idea of a subscription service may be limited to things like Spotify or Netflix, there are several other options out there for ways in which artists can create a recurring revenue stream in exchange for offering their fans new and valuable content on a regular basis. ____________________________ Guest…

3 Important Independent Music Business Trends

Rather than play by the rules and stick to industry conventions, it has become important for those operating independently within the music business to pursue trends which will allow them greater control over their work. Here we look at three such trends which are expected to gain prominence in the…