Apple Testing New Ambient Music Feature in iOS 18.4 Beta

Apple is preparing to introduce an ambient music feature with the upcoming iOS 18.4 update, allowing users to play curated playlists directly from the Control Center.

OpenPlay launches music distribution and monetization service led by industry veteran Bob Barbiere

OpenPlay has launched OpenPlay Reach, a new service aimed at providing delivery, distribution, and monetization services for music and video assets. The company has appointed Bob Barbiere as Executive Vice President and General Manager to lead the new service.

Lo-Fi Music Label Arden Records Announces New Publishing Arm

Lo-fi music has seen a steady rise in popularity in recent years; and with it, producers and songwriters from the genre have become sought-after talents in their own right.

Through the launch of their publishing division, Arden will lift up their producers and songwriters as artists themselves, and create more opportunities for them as lo-fi music continues to ascend within the larger cultural conversation.

SoundCloud’s Scenes docu-series returns with Latin electronica focus

SoundCloud has launched a new episode of its ‘Scenes’ docuseries. The focus this time round is on Latin experimental electronic music.

Audoo Partners with GEMA on Music Impact Study

Audoo Audio Meters — music recognition hardware — installed in hundreds of venues recognised over 130k tracks contributing to the insights demonstrating that the use of background music increased sales in retail by an average of 8% and in gastronomy by an average of 5.4% — the economic benefits suggesting that a music license is a worthwhile investment.

Opening Bid Podcast: Inside the big money-making business of music catalogs

Music catalogs remain hot assets for acquisition by those financial powerhouses with the money to purchase them. Look no further than the sale of Bruce Springsteen’s catalog to Sony in 2021 for a reported $500m. Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid podcast with Reservoir Media founder and CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi.

France’s recorded music revenues reached $1.1bn in 2024, up 7% YoY

The growing popularity of music streaming and a boost from the Paris Olympics propelled France to a large increase in music exports.

New research suggests music with a “groove” is better than ambient music for productivity

A new study from New York University might make you change your work-time listening habits.

From Lagos to Los Angeles, the Global Rise of African Music

This is a story of African artists, celebrated in their home countries, bringing their music to the global stage — not Western artists with African ancestry borrowing African sounds. And this global success is not just driven by sold-out shows but also by the role of digital music platforms.

The Berlin Philharmonic Doesn’t Need a Star Conductor

When, in 2009, the Berlin Philharmonic launched the Digital Concert Hall, a streaming-video platform for its concerts, the orchestra had no particular need to bolster its reputation.

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