Amazon Music customers in the U.S. who do not have a Prime membership or subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited can now listen to a free ad-supported selection of top playlists and stations for free with Amazon Music on compatible Alexa-enabled devices. It is expected that Amazon’s free music service will…
Category archives: Musician
SoundExchange Payments Up 16.2% In Q1 2019
SoundExchange distributed $220.7 million in payments to more than 185,000 payees in the first quarter of 2019. This represents a 16.2% increase in distributions and 17.3% increase in payees over the first quarter of 2018. In 2018, SoundExchange distributed a record $953 million in sound recording performance royalties to artists…
YouTube Music Launches Free Ad-Supported Streaming On All Google Home Speakers
YouTube Music has launched a free ad-supported streaming service, just days after rumors surfaced that Amazon is about to launch similar free music service. YouTube’s free tier is currently available on Google Home speakers and other Google Assistant-powered speakers. YouTube Music’s free service and Amazon’s pending launch mark the first…
How A Songwriter In His 60s Broke (Back) Into The Music Business
In this piece, Chris Robley examines how musician and songwriter Daniel Antopolsky fought his way back into the music industry and began building a career in his 60s and on into his 70s – no small feat in a business which is less than favorable to the older set. _______________________________…
PledgeMusic Sale Appears To Be Another Empty Promise
Last week, we reported that some artists affected by the demise of PledgeMusic became hopeful they would be made whole after receiving emails touting "negotiations the board is having with a potential buyer." It now appears that is was just the latest in a series of empty promises from the…
BUSINESS OF INDIE: A2IM Seeks Board Candidates • Curve Royalty Systems • Ortiz Sues DEL Records • More
In this edition of the Business Of Indie, A2IM is seeking nominations for its Board Of Directors, indie focused Curve Royalty Systems launches, Gerardo Ortiz counter sues DEL Records and much more on the indie music front. Like Hypebot’s More News section, The Business Of Indie is nestled under its…
Your Event’s Comprehensive Social Media Advertising Calendar
Advertising on social media is important to making your next show or event a success, but unstructured bombardment of all social channels will do you little good and, like in so many aspects of the music industry, it’s important to have a plan. Here we break down what a complete…
Bandcamp Adds No-Risk Vinyl Pressing via Pirate Press
Bandcamp is expanding its commitment to vinyl with a new offering that eliminates upfront costs for artists and labels. Vinyl on the popular independent music destination has grown 600% in the last 5 years, with 3,500 unique vinyl albums added to the site each month. The new service eliminates all…
Major Labels Demanding ‘Guaranteed Money’ From TikTok Owners
Spring will shepherd in the cancellation of numerous music contracts, and with renegotiations on the table, three of the industry’s biggest labels are eager to see if they can squeeze some additional revenue out of the rapidly growing social media platform TikTok. _____________________________ Guest post by James Shotwell of Haulix…
Evolution Of The UK Festival Scene
Almost as much about the spectacle as about the music, music festivals have always been notable for their eye catching visuals and remarkable fashion scene. Here we look at UK festivals in particular have changed and evolved with each passing scene. ______________________________ In this latest article on MusicThinkTank, Jessica Higgins…