Like It Or Not, Taylor Swift Is Onto Something With Her Streaming Strategy

Fans may be annoyed that Swift’s new album is not available on streaming services right away, but Team Taylor is wise to experiment with windowing.

Insanely popular lip-syncing app Musical.ly just got acquired for $1 billion

Musical.ly, the massively popular social lip-syncing app beloved by teenagers, has a new owner. Chinese tech firm Beijing Bytedance reportedly just acquired the company for as much as $1 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. If you’re not familiar with Musical.ly, just inquire with the nearest teenager or tween. There’s a decent chance they’re … Continue reading “Insanely popular lip-syncing app Musical.ly just got acquired for $1 billion”

Spotify’s New App Aims To Hook Artists On The Power Of Their Own Data

Spotify is making its listener data more accessible to hungry artists with the launch of a new analytics app.

SoundCloud competitor MixCloud just signed its first major label deal–but is a business model possible?

Sonos’s Secret Weapon In The Smart Speaker Wars: Becoming A Platform

As tech titans release familiar-looking smart speakers, Sonos is hoping to set itself apart by opening its sound system up to developers–and giving users more freedom.

SoundCloud gives artists more data while its new CEO shifts focus to creators

People love asking Alexa about Justin Timberlake lyrics

In the future, one of the keys to success for musicians could be writing incessantly memorable lyrics. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but if Amazon’s on-demand music service continues to grow as a prominent source for streaming–and if Alexa-powered speakers like the new line of Echo devices remain as popular as they are–it could become commonplace … Continue reading “People love asking Alexa about Justin Timberlake lyrics”

People think Spotify’s new music-you-loved-in-high-school feature is pretty fly for a playlist

How Instagram Became The Music Industry’s Secret Weapon

Led by Beyoncé’s former digital guru, Instagram wants to help artists make the most of its music-obsessed users.

Spotify could be worth $20 billion when it goes public

Why Spotify’s Legal Challenges Just Got Way More Complicated

With a crafty semantic argument, the company is challenging the idea that streaming services are legally responsible for paying mechanical royalties.

Apple just one-upped Spotify with native music streaming on its next smartwatch

Apple Music just gave its listeners another small perk over other music services. As it unveiled the Series 3 version of the Apple Watch today, Apple also showed off a new feature for music subscribers: The smartwatch now streams songs from Apple Music natively, without the need to connect to an iPhone. The native watch … Continue reading “Apple just one-upped Spotify with native music streaming on its next smartwatch”

Spotify and Hulu bundle together for one dirt-cheap music and TV streaming plan

If Spotify’s latest move is any indication, you should expect to see more media streaming services bundled together. The music subscription market leader just announced a partnership with Hulu wherein eligible college students can get Spotify Premium and Hulu’s TV and movie library for a mere $5 per month. This combo of all-you-can-stream entertainment would … Continue reading “Spotify and Hulu bundle together for one dirt-cheap music and TV streaming plan”

This Little Wireless Gadget Turns Your iPhone Into A DIY Recording Studio

iZotope’s new Spire Studio uses Wi-Fi and smart microphone tech to make mobile audio recording even easier.

Spotify rethinks video just as Apple preps a billion-dollar onslaught of original content

Spotify going public is one step closer to reality with Warner Music licensing deal

Spotify just signed a long-term licensing deal with Warner Music Group that helps pave the way for the music streamer to go public. Warner was the last major label to re-sign with Spotify, after Universal and Sony (along with indie label group Merlin) inked new deals with the company earlier this year. Good news for … Continue reading “Spotify going public is one step closer to reality with Warner Music licensing deal”

These Earbuds Let You Record The World In Immersive 3D Audio

The startup Hooke Audio makes a pair of bluetooth earbuds whose layered audio is similar to how we experience sound in the real world.

Can We Trust Dating Apps And Music Services To Police Hate Speech?

Post-Charlottesville, apps and media services are clamoring to zap hate speech. But none of them will tell us how.

Sheryl Crow Wants You To Stop Ignoring Your Family And Start Singing Karaoke

The singer-songwriter is promoting an unusual music streaming box with a feature that lets you belt out your favorites in your living room.