Music Tech

Another Senior Digital Exec Exits Universal Music

What is going on at Universal Music? A second key digital music exec has just departed even as renegotiations with iTunes, YouTube and Spotify are reportedly intensifying.

Bruce Houghton on 02/27/2015 in Major Labels | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: Billboard Magazine, Iggy Azalea, iTunes, Kanye West, Lana Del Rey, Lucian Grainge, music industry, Sam Smith, Spotify, Universal Music Group

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Kobalt Raises $60M Round Led By Google Ventures To Scale Artist and Rights Holder Services

Kobalt made a name for itself with innovative and transparent tech solutions for artists and rights holders. Now Google Ventures and an impressive group of tech investors have taken notice and just. Continue reading

Bruce Houghton on 02/27/2015 in D.I.Y. | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: Beggars Group, Bitcoin, Canada, Coinbase, Electronic money, Friday (1995 film), International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, Martin Mills, United Kingdom, United States

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Does Spotify’s New Lyrics Feature Violate U.S. Copyright Law?

[UPDATE 2] The centerpiece of today's Spotify web upgrade is a Lyrics button that delivers lyrics from MusixMatch scrolling across the screen karaoke style. (see video below) But the new. Continue reading

Bruce Houghton on 02/26/2015 in Music Business | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tags: All of Me (song), Apple Inc., Coldplay, IOS, lyrics, musiXmatch, Rihanna, Spotify, Streaming media, Taylor Swift

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VC Firm Upfront Ventures Names Rapper Chamillionaire Entrepreneur In Residence

Turning the head of entrepreneur turned venture capitalist Mark Suster, five and a half years ago, Chamillionaire, the award winning rap artist, has traded the stage for a seat in the office. Continue reading

Nia R Jones on 02/26/2015 in Music Business | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: Book, Chamillionaire, Claudia Roth, Controversy, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur in residence, Facebook, Google, music video, Rapping

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Spotify Launches Major Desktop Update: Adds Musixmatch Lyrics, Kills App Finder

Spotify today launched a major upgrade to its desktop app. Despite a trend towards more mobile listening, the desktop remains one of Spotify's most important platforms.

Bruce Houghton on 02/26/2015 in Apps, Mobile & SMS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tags: Android (operating system), Apple Inc., BBC, BBC Radio 1, Disc jockey, Facebook, IPhone, iTunes, Pandora Radio, Spotify

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Borrowing Success: Legally Sample Music

The line can be blurry when it comes to legally sampling music and the ramifications for sampling illegally can be crippling. Knowing the difference is worth the read.

Guest Post on 02/25/2015 in D.I.Y. | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: Academy of Country Music Awards, American Society of Composers, Apple Inc., Authors and Publishers, Baltimore, Biz Markie, Compact disc, music industry, record label, Spotify, Taylor Swift

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Apple Ordered To Pay $533 Million In iTunes Patent Infringement Trial

[UPDATE 2] With billions in the bank, a court ordered payout of $533 million is a very survivable hit for Apple. But the underlying question remains. Did Apple really create. Continue reading

Bruce Houghton on 02/25/2015 in Music Business | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: Android (operating system), Apple Inc., Barack Obama, Bloomberg L.P., Electric car, iTunes, Software patent, Supreme Court of the United States, United States, United States Patent and Trademark Office

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Smartphone Music Apps To Pay Attention To In 2015

If you aim to accomplish something with your smartphone or mobile device, odds are, "there's an app for that." In a fast paced and continually evolving market, it's hard to. Continue reading

Guest Post on 02/24/2015 in Apps, Mobile & SMS | Permalink | Comments (2)

Tags: Apple Inc., Deezer, Ernst & Young, iHeartRadio, iTunes, music industry, Pandora Radio, record label, Spotify, Streaming media

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Shareholders Challenge Jay Z’s “Bad” Bid For Aspiro Streaming Music Services

More than 120 shareholders in Aspiro have joined together to challenge Jay Z's $56 million bid to acquire the company's two streaming music services WiMP and high definition music channel Tidal.. Continue reading

Bruce Houghton on 02/24/2015 in Music Business | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tags: Aspiro, Dr Dre, Europe, Initial public offering, Jay-Z, Malmö, Spotify, Streaming media, Susan Carter Holmes, WiMP

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The Impending YouTube Music Showdown

YouTube multichannel networks (MCNs) like Maker, Machinima, and Fullscreen have reshaped the business of online video, but there's still one dicey area that hasn't yet been worked out to everyone's satisfaction – the music that. Continue reading

Guest Post on 02/23/2015 in D.I.Y. | Permalink | Comments (2)

Tags: DreamWorks Animation, Facebook, Google, independent music, Maker Studios, music industry, MySpace, The Walt Disney Company, YouTube, Zoe Keating

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