Sending my best wishes for a happy, healthy holiday season and year ahead.

Universal Music, Amazon Expand Partnership, Will Address Unlawful AI

"We are very excited to advance our long-standing, excellent partnership with Amazon Music that marks a new era in streaming – Streaming 2.0," said Universal Music chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge.

Sonos Goes Back To Basics With A Holiday Brand-Building Campaign

When Jordan Saxemard, former president of Dyson’s EMEA business, took over as CMO of audio tech maker Sonos in May, his first task was to revive the brand’s cultural impact.

Unlocking App Growth: The Power of Premium Music in Freemium Apps

Imagine an app where premium music is a star feature of the paid tier. Free users enjoy basic functionality and perhaps some curated non-major-label tracks, but they don’t get access to the latest hits or genre-specific playlists from today’s biggest artists. Instead, this exclusive content is part of the Pro subscription, a clear differentiator that elevates the experience for paying users.

Audio is incidental: Why Spotify wants to become a creator ecosystem

Ek envisions a future where a multi-hyphenate artist like Meghan Trainor can speak about her book on her video podcast and fans can immediately listen to or purchase that book on-platform. If fans still can’t get enough, they can then listen to her music, which may also lead to vinyl or CD sales. Not only does that keep users more engaged, but it also increases the value of Spotify as a platform, thus encouraging more Premium subscriptions and a higher stock price.

Wham!'s Last Christmas makes history with consecutive festive No.1s

Wham! have made history with their classic festive single Last Christmas. As well as being the official Christmas No.1 for 2024, Last Christmas is also the only song in UK chart history to achieve such a feat for two consecutive years.

The Data Behind Pseudonyms and Alter Egos in Music

Many artists have used alter egos throughout music history. In 2024, these pseudonyms have a varied effect on the original artist's music streaming statistics.

Def Jam Recordings launches FAST channel on video service Tubi

One of the big trends in the TV industry right now is FAST, which stands for free, ad-supported streaming television.

Indies sound alarm after UMG Downtown and PIAS acquisitions

Indie trade groups and label execs are sounding the alarm after UMG Downtown and PIAS acquisition – two crucial independent music companies. Learn what’s at stake and why it matters for artists and labels alike.

New Frontiers in Streaming Monetization

As music streaming reaches maturity, subscriber number growth has slowed down. This has forced platforms and major labels to rethink revenue generation strategies.

AI and Niche Music Listening: Redefining Music Streaming

What if AI agents could transform music streaming by uniting platforms into a single personalized experience? Discover how this innovation could boost niche music listening and redefine discovery.

Gen AI May Fuel a $10.5B Revenue Slip for Music Creators

Just how big an impact will generative AI have on the music sector? A study is exploring the unprecedented technology’s potential multibillion-dollar consequences for creators and rightsholders.

Vochlea Music: The AI start-up empowering creativity

Vochlea Music, a start-up based in London, is the proprietor of Dubler, a form of voice recognition technology for music creation.

Imogen Heap’s AI revolution: how one British musician is shaping the future of music

With her AI-powered digital twin “Mogen”, Heap is taking her exploration to a whole new level, offering a fascinating case study into the evolving relationship between music, technology and human creativity.

Drum & bass streams increased 94% in the past three years, Spotify reports

Streams of drum & bass have increased 94% in the past three years, according to Spotify. The streaming giant's figures show UK plays of the genre have risen almost two-fold since 2021, with next generation artists such as Nia Archives and Bou helping drive the trend. Skepsis, Charlotte Plank, Hybrid Minds, SHY FX, Rudimental, Chase & Status, goddard., and Sub Focus also made the top 10.

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