Royalty payments are the single biggest cost for Internet radio and audio streaming services. The question for observers of industry data is whether Soundexchange royalty collections are a good barometer of industry health and the revenue that Internet radio delivers to artists.
The number one digital advertising topic of 2016 is shaping up to be ad-blocking. It should be noted that most music streaming services rely primarily on audio ads which avoid the viewability problem of ad-blocking altogether. So if the audio is streamed, impressions are delivered. As a result, audio ads are less likely to be victims of ad-blocking technology.
The simultaneous release of Serial’s second season on Pandora and iTunes gave consumers a choice between downloading or streaming. This choice has existed on a number of platforms previously, but most podcasters seem to default to iTunes even though its technology constrains long-term success. Today we published a white paper that explores why the download model that gave podcasts their initial success now hinders their growth.
Apple announced Friday that it would be shuttering the ad-supported listening service within Apple Music. Is this a matter of Apple learning what business works best for music or a foreshadowing of what Apple Music subscribers will face if that service doesn’t meet expectations?
Direct Marketing News (DMN) provides marketers with a comprehensive view of the marketing landscape — complete with the latest news, data and success strategies from the industry. DMN recently released an eBook where they asked industry insiders to predict the most significant changes for marketing in 2016.
The Financial Times reported over the weekend that Apple Music has reached 10 million subscribers. This trails what The Verge estimates is over 25 million Spotify subscribers, but represents impressive growth just six months after launch. It is interesting to consider the different user acquisition strategies used by the leading music streaming services.
Radio broadcasters have long considered the experience of live and local to be their greatest asset in attracting and maintaining audience. That experience is too often undermined by long stopsets of advertisements that motivate listeners to choose another station or another audio channel altogether.
With a new year upon us, Radio World interviewed CEO Pat Higbie on the future of Internet radio in 2016. As the Internet radio audience continues to grow, so will the interest of national advertisers. With a large amount of consumer attention and advertising revenue at stake, Higbie predicts competition will be fierce for both.
2015 was a big year for Internet radio and streaming services. Today’s focus is the 10 best articles on the industry over the past 12 months. See the full list below with entries from Music Industry Blog, Billboard, RAIN, Mark Ramsey Media, and more.
One word can be used to sum up Internet radio in 2015. Growth. Higher numbers for listenership and advertising drove competition between labels and publishers. And, if you look at the top XAPP blog posts of 2015, you’ll notice it all comes down to money.