Rumor has it…, I ❤ Streaming, and Snapchat makes a Spectacle: Liv Buli’s Week in Music and More

Another Friday, another Liv Buli Reading List. Buli, the data journalist for Pandora's Next Big Sound, often sees what is going to matter before the rest of us and lucky for us, she shares it with us lesser beings on Hypebot .

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By Liv Buli of Pandora's Next Big Sound

When I wake up Saturday morning, until I remember I don’t have to go to work that day.

No rest for the wicked, nor the music industry it seems. Another week of big stories dropping, from acquisition talks, to major milestones, to huge hiring moves. Here’s what you should know before you head out for the weekend.Spotify and SoundCloud have reportedly been in talks about acquisition. No comment from either party yet, and nothing has actually happened yet, so y’all can calm down. It would be an interesting move. Between features like their social community and the ability for music makers to directly upload tracks SoundCloud has something really unique, but I am not entirely sure how they would marry these services in practice. Tbd. Potensh.

Spotify in advanced talks to buy SoundCloud – FT.com
- Spotify, the music streaming service, is in advanced talks to acquire SoundCloud, as competition heats up with Apple…www.ft.com

YouTube hired Lyor — clutch move. Has it really been 3 years since Google invested in 300? They are killin it btw (300 that is).

YouTube just hired music legend Lyor Cohen to make peace with the labels
- He's going to hold on to his 300 label, which Google backed three years ago.www.recode.net

iHeart announced their intention to launch an on-demand service. Immediate reaction? You get a streaming service! You get a streaming service! Everybody gets a streaming service!

iHeartRadio will launch two paid, on-demand music services
- iHeartRadio could be getting more competitive with on-demand music services like Apple Music and Spotify next year…techcrunch.com

Oh and of course, all the deets on Snapchat’s (Sorry, Snap, Inc.) new spectacles.

Spectacles want to be on your face for the fun times. For $130, can they pull it off?
- Everything you need to know about the Snapchat Spectacles, including impressions and analysis, photos, video, release…www.cnet.com

Thumbprint Radio (from Pandora) hit some major milestones this week, among them 5 billion+ spins. If you haven’t listened to your personal thumbprint radio station yet, I’d highly recommend it (though mine really only plays Adele).

Pandora Touts Thumbprint Radio's 20 Million Listeners, 5 Billion Spins
- Less than a year after launch, Pandora's personalized Thumbprint Radio station has been streamed more than 5 billion…www.billboard.com

On the Predictions chart this week — A younger, better(?) version of One Direction, some seriously bizarre YouTube pop, and Cynthia Meng’s favorite band ever — Vulfpeck.

Pandora Predictions Chart: Could These Guys Be The Next One Direction?
- The Pandora Predictions Chart tends to be a rather eclectic place. Unlike the usually rap-dominated Trendsetters Chart…blog.nextbigsound.com

Alisa Xayalith from The Naked and Famous is awesome, and their new album is going to be sick. Here are 10 reasons why you need to listen to it.

10 Reasons Why You'll Want To Listen To The New Album From The Naked And Famous
- LA-based, by way of New Zealand, five-piece alt pop outfit The Naked and Famous are back this fall with two singles and…www.forbes.com

And in graphs this week: a spike on Wikipedia for Mary J. Blige, as well as for the Bruce Springsteen track she sings, after this teaser of what seems to have been an… ahem… eventful chat with Hillary Clinton went live.

Now. This is a conflicting moment for me. Let’s be clear: #imwithherHowever. This has to be one of the most uncomfortable, awkward videos I have ever been witness to in my entire career of watching uncomfortable, awkward videos on the internet.I mean, Hillary’s face.