Are Playlists Still Relevant for the Music Business?

Music playlists are hugely important in the music industry; they switch the listening habits of millions across platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, and Deezer. As streaming services dominate the music landscape, the importance of playlists in an artist's development strategy must be explored by music businesses like record labels. 

What is at stake in the TikTok-UMG showdown

Music’s biggest on-again, off-again relationship just took a turn for the ugly, as Universal Music Group is pulling its music off TikTok. We have seen this movie before: Every time the music industry negotiates licenses with social platforms, the battle boils down to a question of who needs the other more.

Music Reports acquires music licensing and data platform Blokur

Independent music rights administration platform Music Reports says its acquisition of Blokur is meant to complement its existing services and technology.

Post Pitchfork - five ways for music journalism to survive

I’m generally more optimistic about the role and future of music writers. Sort of. Here, I’m summing up five ways in which music writing can survive (and by that, I mean thrive) and I mention a few of my own favourite music editorial brands.

Downtown, Hipgnosis and NMPA rally behind Universal Music Group in its fight with TikTok

Andrew Bergman, David Israelite, Merck Mercuriadis all publicly support UMG's position.

YouTube Is A Streaming Giant No One Seems To Notice

Simply put, while Hollywood has largely been consumed by Netflix, Amazon and Apple competition in ruinously expensive efforts to launch subscription video services, Alphabet has rather quietly built its own media monster competing on several fronts.

Music Piracy Is Back in a Big Way—Especially From YouTube

Visits to music piracy websites went up more than 13 percent last year, a new report says. The majority of those visits were to sites that allow users to download the audio from YouTube URLs.

Mood music: How the iso principle can help you shift your mood

Music has the uncanny ability to help us shift our mood. When we’re feeling low, the right music can cheer us up; when we’re stressed or anxious, music can help calm and relax us. How does music accomplish this, and how can we best harness the power of music to manage our ups and downs?

Will Page explores the 'rockonomics' of SoundCloud and its artists

Author and former Spotify chief economist Will Page has turned his attention to SoundCloud for his latest report: ‘SoundCloud’s Rockonomics‘.

With ‘superfans’ in their eyes, could the major record companies now rally behind Spotify in its ‘app tax’ battle with Apple?

For a long time, record companies have avoided becoming too embroiled in Spotify and Apple’s ‘app tax’ spat – ultimately a dispute between two tech partners with little direct impact on music rights or royalties.

SiriusXM beats profit expectations

Pay-radio broadcaster SiriusXM’s Q4 profits were at $352 million (€323.1m), just down on the same period in 2022 which were $365 million. Revenues were slightly ahead of expectations at $2.29 billion ($2.28 billion the previous year). Earnings per share were up 1 cent at $0.09 and better than analyst’s expectations.

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