Snapchat’s user base is finally growing again, though not dramatically enough for investors. The social channel added 4 million daily active users last quarter, marking its first gain in a year. Snapchat now has 190 million DAUs, up from 186 million at the end of 2018. That was also 3…
Category archives: Startups & Funding
Convergence In Music Industry as Managers Become Labels, Distributors Become Marketers and More
In this piece, Jake Udell reflects on the how music companies are increasingly converging to become the same thing as they try to wear a growing number of hats in an effort to remain relevant in a rapidly changing industry. _____________________________ Guest post by Jake Udell of Art of Manager…
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…
Spotify [SPOT] Stock Drops On Threat From Amazon Music [UPDATED]
UPDATE: Spotify stock closed down 4.42% Monday on news that Amazon was close to launching a free ad-supported music service. With the exception of Pandora’s radio-like free offering, no other major streamer offers a free music service. Details and analysis here. Amazon To Launch Free Ad-Supported Music Service To Take…
Optimistic Delusion and Music Business Version 2.0 Syndrome
In this piece, artist manager Jake Udell analyzes his personal experience of overvaluing his own success, and looks at why too much personal confidence and a failure to rely on others can compromise one’s ability to succeed in the music business. ______________________________ Guest post by Jake Udell of Art of…
Spotify [SPOT] Gets Boost From Mad Money’s Jim Cramer
[UPDATED] During his daily Mad Money Lightening Round Thursday, CNBC host Jim Cramer gave a very positive shout out to Spotify. "I think it’s only a matter of time before subscriptions take over," said Cramer. "This is a good one." But the former hedge fund manager’s stock picking track record…
PledgeMusic Says Its In Negotiations With Potential Buyer
It has been more than two months since PledgeMusic suspended all crowdfunding campaigns on the platform, leaving hundreds of artists unpaid. But a PledgeMusic staffer is now telling former clients that the company is in negotiations with a potential buyer. In an email obtained by Hypebot and verified separately, this…
PledgeMusic Goes Silent
PledgeMusic has not offered an update to the hundreds of musicians and thousands of fans affected by the crowdfunder’s inability to pay creators the funds that fans had pledged. Even the rumor mill is almost silent. As the week’s drag, on it seems increasingly unlikely that anyone is ready to…
Why Would Anyone Invest In Post-Bankruptcy iHeartMedia? Because ‘Radio Motivates Behavior’ says Fred Jacobs
At a time when more younger listeners are tuning out in favor of streaming and other forms of media consumption, broadcast radio giant iHeartMedia is hoping to raise $100 million in an IPO. If an aging audience isn’t enough to scare off investors. the fact that iHeart is just emerging…
Techstars Music’s Bob Moz On The Music Business and How Tech Is Reshaping It
Bob Moz (short for Moczydlowsky) is a fixture in music tech. Now the Managing Director of the Techstars Music startup program, Moz worked at Yahoo Music, as Topspin VP Product & Marketing and Twitter’s Head of Music. David Weiszfeld, the CEO of Music analytics dashboard Soundcharts, launches his new video…