These lists represent the most viral tracks on Spotify, based on the number of people who shared it divided by the number who listened to it, from 8/5-11/2016 via Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Spotify…
Apple Music signs ‘power move’ label deal with Cash Money Records
We’re used to seeing Apple Music pick off artists one-by-one for exclusive deals. Now it’s signed an agreement with an entire label – a big one. Cash Money Records, whose artists include Lil Wayne, Ni…
Apple is recruiting a team of ‘lyrics curators’ with ‘excellent music knowledge’
Apple is taking its new lyrics function for Apple Music seriously – and doing the heavy lifting for the service in-house. MBW has spotted a new job ad for a role as ‘Lyrics Curation Manager’ at Apple,…
Goodbye MP3, we hardly knew ya
When it comes to technology, the music business has always been about convenience. It’s ultimately never about the sound or even a lower cost, it’s always comes down to what’s easiest to use. Still, i…
Vinyl sales up another 17%, used sales surpass new
The headlines from Buzz Angle’s mid-year music report focused on the growth of on-demand streaming and the carnage surrounding the paid digital download market. Eventually we will turn to everyone’s f…
Spotify raids BBC Radio for talent to boost UK playlist team
Just over a year ago, MBW broke the news that Apple Music had poached no less than four BBC radio producers to join former Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe within its walls. The exodus quickly became known as the…
Apple: Music streaming should pay songwriters $910 every million plays
Apple has filed a new proposal with the US Copyright Royalty Board which it hopes will simplify songwriting royalties in the States. The Cupertino giant has suggested that all on-demand streaming serv…
The state of the YouTube Music Economy
In 2016, YouTube finds itself in yet another spat with rights holders and this time the labels have brought artists to the battlefield. Playing a starring role is the issue of Safe Harbour, the provis…
At this rate, music downloads will be dead by 2020
Single-track download sales in the US have crashed by 42% since their peak just four years ago – sparking the real possibility that they could become a dead format within half a decade. In the first h…
Spotify and Apple are at each other’s throats – with the music biz caught in the middle
“You discovered a premium feature! You must have a Premium subscription to unlock it.” This is the message Spotify wants to pop up in front of users of its ad-supported service – but says Apple won’t …