Owning Music Is Important – Vinyl Can Help

With the rise of the digital age, music has ceased to become something we own as much as something we rent. One format, once thought of as obsolete, is shifting this new balance, however. Here we look at why ownership of music is still important, and how vinyl is making…

Playing To Strangers: Why Marketing To People Who Haven’t Heard You Is The Most Profitable

In this piece Amber Horsburgh breaks down some interesting streaming statistics suggesting that, contrary to many conventional marketing theories, marketing to listeners who have never heard your music can be a more profitable approach than trying to cultivate a rapid central fanbase. ______________________________ Guest post by Amber Horsburgh. Amber writes…

SiriusXM Adds 10 Emerging Artists ‘Discovery’ Channels

SiriusXM has added 100 new commercial-free Xtra Channels available exclusively to subscribers on the SiriusXM app, web player and connected devices, including 10 that are designed to showcase new and emerging artists. These music channels also feature skip-ahead functionality. Many of the new SiriusXM channels are variations of classic formats….

Gimme Radio: Building A Fan Driven Music Streaming Service

In this piece, Gimme Radio’s Tyler Lenane outlines why they felt compelled to start another streaming service in an already crowded sector and how Gimme Radio differentiates themselves from other platforms by focusing on serving the passionate fan. _____________________________ Guest post by Tyler Lenane, CEO of Gimme Radio With Gimme…

Did Technology Bring About The Death Of Good Music?

After new research was released suggesting that millennials prefer golden oldies to contemporary pop, Stephen Carlisle did some digging to determine if this was in fact accurate and, if so, what role technology may have played in the "decline" of music’s quality. _____________________________ Guest post by Stephen Carlisle of NOVA…

This May Not End Well… Top UMG Top Suitors Are A Streaming Service and A Private Equity Firm

If history is any guide, this may not end well… The two top suitors eyeing a $20 – $25 billion bid for a 50% stake in Universal Music Group are US investment firm KKR and China’s Tencent Music Entertainment Group. The news comes as UMG parent Vivendi interviews firms to…

CD Baby Announces Global Expansion plus UK, Canada, Columbia, Singapore Hires

CD Baby is continuing to expand globally with hires in Canada, Latin America, East Asia/Pacific, and the UK and EU. CD Baby is also adding local Artist Support Centers around the world, starting with the UK in the coming months. These centers will give specific advice in local languages tailored…

Could The Proliferation Of Indie Streaming Platforms Be Harming Unsigned Artists?

As the major streaming platforms continue to bludgeon each other in hopes of gaining an industry monopoly, unsigned artists are seeking better, independent options for sharing their music with the general public – unfortunately, all these smaller platforms face a number of shortcomings. _______________________________ In this new post to MusicThinkTank,…

Spotify Revises WMG Statement, Issues Full India Launch Press Release

Words have become weapons in the battle between Spotify and WMG’s Warner/Chappell Music publishing. Overnight, Spotify clarified one of their jabes, alongside a fill announcement of the streamer’s launch in India. In the intro to Spotify’s approved statement the streamer referred to Warner/Chappell’s move for a court injunction as having…

Spotify Launches In India Without WMG Deal, Premium Costs $1.67 Monthly

Spotify ramped up its battle with Warner Music Group on Tuesday, launching in India without a signed deal with the Warner/Chappell music publishing arm of the world’s third largest music group. WMG had failed on Monday to get a court injunction to stop the launch. Spotify Premium will cost 119…