In 2017, Experience Should Be Everything [Mark Mulligan]

Here Mark Mulligan outlines why music streaming services, although they have seen considerable success in 2017, must shift their focus more towards emphasizing the user experience in order to stay afloat. _____________________________ Guest post by Mark Mulligan of MIDiA on his Music Industry Blog 2017 is going to be a…

Drake and The Weeknd Have Record Breaking Week On Spotify

It was record breaking week on Spotify for Drake and The Weeknd. Drake’s "One Dance" is the first song to reach a billion streams there. And, The Weeknd’s album, "Starboy" has more than 500 million streams on Spotify, making it one of the fastest growing albums there, and the first…

The Most Important Music Business Trends Of 2016 [Bas Grasmayer]

This week as part of his Projecting Trends series, Bas Grasmayer looks back on some of the most import music industry trends of 2016, including blockchain tech, virtual reality, streaming exclusives, and bots. _____________________________ Guest post by Bas Grasmayer from the Synchblog What a rollercoaster 2016 has been. Without even…

Top 20 Songs, Artists, Breakouts Across 2800 Digital Radio Services Including Pandora, SiriusXM

Most "Top" charts at this time of year come from a single service – Spotify, Apple Music, etc. So when charts combine 2800 sources, we take notice. SoundExchange has shares 3 charts compiled from 12 months of plays on 2800 digital radio stations including Pandora, SiriusXM, AccuRadio and Radio Paradise….

Neil Young To Transform Pono Into High-Res Streaming Service

After his recent high-fidelity download service w/ dedicated player flopped, Neil Young is seeking to reinvent Pono as a high-resolution streaming service, although whether this new service will succeed either remains uncertain. ______________________________ Guest Post by Bobby Owsinski on Music 3.0 Neil Young has finally gotten the message about his…

How Audiotree Used Streaming To Grow The Fanbase Of Two Iconic Chicago Music Venues

In order to draw more fans to a sold out show, the people at Audiotree are working to use live streaming as a way to grow their online fanbase and attract sponsors. _______________________ Guest post by Rachel Grate of Eventbrite Sold-out shows are a blessing — and, in a way,…

2017 Will Be The Year Of The Platform, Tidal Will Sell To Apple Predicts MIDiA Research

[UPDATED] Analysts MIDiA, who claim an 84% success rate for their 2016 predictions are back with their crystal ball for 2017. Music predictions include a Spotify IPO and the subsequent start of a new generation of experiential streaming services. _____________________________________________ 2017 will be the year of the platform, says music…

Apple Brings Back Music Star Ratings In iOS 10.2 Update

What Apple taketh away, Apple sometimes giveth back. No, not your iPhone headphone jack, but rather music star ratings. They’ve returned as part of an iOS operating system update that also includes more playlist sorting options and easier access to Now Playing. ______________________________________ Music star ratings are back with the…

Spotify Tests New ‘Jump In’ Feature For Free Users That Makes Paying For Premium Much Less Attractive

[UPDATED] Spotify is in the midst of protracted renegotiations with the major labels, and a sticking point, according to multiple sources, is the music companies’ desire to scale back the streamer’s free service. But Spotify apparently has different ideas, and is testing a free music on-demand feature that would make…

Sex + Music Stats: Marvin Gaye Still Rules Bedroom, Kanye and Bieber Fall Flaccid

Just in time for holiday debauchery, music streamer Deezer has teamed with sex expert Tracey Cox to dissect the coupling of music and sex in America. Their aptly titled "Aphro-Deezer-ac Report’ reveals how music plays a key role in sex and how people use music to find their "bedroom flow."…