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Scott Greer Named EVP Marketing & Commerce At Def Jam

In a continuing shakeup of its executive suite, Def Jam Recordings announced the hiring of Scott Greer to serve as Executive Vice President of Marketing & Commerce.  In his new role, Greer will oversee the company’s marketing, digital, commerce, branding and creative content initiatives, effective immediately, the label said. 

How Music And The Smart Speaker Will Help Each Other Succeed

The recent rash of voice-activated internet-enabled speakers (looking at you Echo) have quickly risen to become Pandora's most rapidly growing consumer electronics product. Here we look at how this trend will benefit both smart speakers and the music industry as a whole.

THU. BRIEF: UMG, MTV 'Despacito' Dispute • Snapchat Crowd Surfs • Apple Music's New 'Up Next' • Paradigm Invades Canada • More

Thursday 7.18.17

Music Business News From Around The Web

Dear MTV,  there's video site called YouTube. When a music video is a BIG hit there, pay attention.

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SoundCloud Usage Is Falling, Making Turnaround More Difficult

New investors are hoping to turn a struggling SoundCloud around, but their job rapidly becoming more difficult because of falling usage.  Traffic to soundcloud.com has seen a steady decrease, down from 353 million visitors in December 2015 to 289 million in May 2017.  

12 Must-Have Apps For DIY Artists And Bands

Establishing yourself in the music industry is a challenging task, but luckily there are a variety of apps out there that can make the task that much easier for DIY artists. Here several successful self-made artists share a few of their favorites.

Coalition Of Songwriter Groups Protest RIAA "Moral Rights" Stance In Strongly Worded Letter

Seeking credit where they believe credit is due, songwriters and their trade organisations have sent a strongly worded letter to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) protesting that trade group's ongoing refusal to recognise the ‘moral rights’ of songwriters.

The Single Place That Prince Looked For True Talent

Sas Metcalfe is the President, Global Creative, of Kobalt Music and has been at the company since it was founded in 2001. It was in that capacity that she spent time with Prince.

Spotify Is Set To Dominate Music Just Like Google Dominates Search

In much the same way as Google has risen to become the dominant name in search engines, Spotify may be headed to emerge as the dominant name in music. Here Paul X. McCarthy explains the nature of online competition and why this may be the case.

TPG, Dragoneer Rethink $1 Billion Spotify Investment

Spotify's path to a listing on the public stock market faces many hurdles, not the least of which are competing interests and different deal terms with dozens of investors, including the major labels, brought in over multiple funding rounds. Two major stakeholders, TPG and Dragoneer, are already raising concerns about their $1 billion interest in the streamer.

Understanding Music and Blockchain Minus All The Hype

Here Alan Graham follows up on a previous piece looking at practical side of the relationship between music and blockchain tech. Here he casts a fresh glance at the issue, and where blockchain technology, and its relationship to music, might be headed.

Bruno Mars, Live Nation Donate $1 Million For Flint Water Crisis

Bruno Mars revealed to a Michigan concert audience that he and concert promoter Live Nation had donated $1 million dollars to help aid victims of the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan. 

Today Is The LAST DAY For GRAMMY 2018 Submissions

The deadline for submitting music to the the 60th Grammy Awards is today to Wednesday Aug. 23rd, and for the first time, submissions and voting are online-only.  A full list of Grammy 2018 deadlines:

Wilco Releases New Song "All Lives, You Say?" In Response To Charlottesville Violence [Listen]

Wilco has released a new song, "All Lives, You Say?," in response to the the weekend's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia,. Available exclusively on the band's Bandcamp page, all proceeds from the song will go to the Southern Poverty Law Center in honor of the band's frontman Jeff Tweedy’s late father, Robert L. Tweedy.

Songkick Fights Costly Delays In Live Nation Trial

As Live Nation's lawyers work to push back a trial with Songkick back two months, the latter company is doing its best to oppose the effort, claiming that it would be financially detrimental to Songkick's financial well-being.

WED. BRIEF: TBG Revists $1B Spotify Bond • Sprinrilla Says No To RIAA • Apple's $1B TV Play • Dodeka • More

Wednesday 8.16.17

Music Business News From Around The Web

Spotify's path to an IPO still has many hurdles ahead, thanks in part to its large number of stakeholders. 

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Former Billboard Editor Bill Werde Named Director Of Syracuse University Bandier Music Business Program

[UPDATED] Former Billboard editorial director Bill Werde has been named director of the Bandier Program for Music Business and the Entertainment Industries at Syracuse University. The program, established in 2006, was launched with a gift from Sony/ATV Chairman and CEO Martin Bandier as part of SU’s Newhouse School.

How To Get More Followers On Spotify

One of the most popular streaming platforms out there, Spotify is a great tool for artists to promote their music with, but getting people to follow your playlists can be challenging. Here we look at some valuable techniques for drawing fans in and gaining followers on the streaming service.

Kesha's "Rainbow" Is Shining Bright On Pandora

Last Friday, August 11th, Kesha released "Rainbow," her first album since 2012. Earlier last month, she debuted its first single “Praying” and if Pandora listener engagement with the track, which includes 6 million spins, is any indication "Rainbow" picked up major traction over the weekend.

Elvis Lives! Spotify Shares Top Tracks, Cities 40 Years After His Death

This Wednesday, August 16th marks the 40th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death. To commemorate the King of Rock N’ Roll, Spotify has taken a look at the musical impact he continues to have today and uncovered a few surprises.

This Man Is The Secret Weapon That Investors Believe Will Save SoundCloud

News came late last week that SoundCloud had been saved, for now, by an emergency $169.5 million cash infusion. Co-founder Alex Ljung would step aside to make room for new CEO Kerry Trainor. But how can the new exec turn the deeply unprofitable music streamer around? Fortunately, he has a secret weapon, Fred Davis.

Streaming Music Is Getting A Boost From Amazon Echo, Google Home Smart Speakers

If you can say, they can play it. The convenience of listening to music on smart speakers like Google Home,  Amazon Echo vand soon the Apple HomePod are poised to provide a boost of new interest in music streaming services like Spotify and Pandora.

What Is The Ideal Video Length For A Music Video?

With so many different platforms available on which to post video content, knowing precisely what the right length is for maximum fan engagement can be difficult. Here we list the platform specific ideal duration for artists looking to upload video content.

Pandora Trendsetters And The Power Of Young Fans

Although passionate hoards of young fans have been a feature of the music industry dating back to Beatle mania, they are often spoken of with a degree of disregard. As the importance of streaming and social media presence grow, however, the power of these fans will only grow.

Smart Touring: Six Keys To A More Lucrative Tour

 [UPDATED] Running a successful tour is all about effectively managing expenses, and as an up-and-coming artist, you're often at the mercy of the venues and may not have much leverage. But careful planning at the outset, and following these six tips can do wonders when it comes to finishing your tour in the black.

How UnbelievableBeats Makes Money From Free Beats [CASE STUDY]

Here we examine a case study of artist  Shaun Friedman who decided that, rather than sell his substantial library of unused beats, he would give them away for free, all the while building his mailing list and finding other creative ways to profit off of his work.

TuneIn Raises $50 Million For Online Audio Service

Online radio station and audio aggregator TuneIn has raised $50 million to fund a growing portfolio of programming for a paid service to rival Sirius XM. 

Taylor Swift Wins Groping Trial, Issues Statement

After just four hours of deliberation, jurors ruled in favor of singer Taylor Swift in her counter-suit against a former radio DJ over alleged assault and battery. The six-woman, two-man jury found that the actions of the former country music DJ David Mueller, amounted to assault and battery against Swift.

Mega-hit "Despacito" Was Not Submitted To MTV's Video Music Awards In Apparent Protest

The #1 YouTube video of all time "Despacito" is not being considered for an MTV Video Music Award because it was never submitted. But do the artists even care ,given that MTV only plays the video on its secondary Latin channel, MTV Tres?

AM BRIEF: New Pandora CEO • No 'Despacito' At VMAs • YouTube Tests Live Stats • More

Tuesday 7.15.17

Music Business News From Around The Web

 Pandora's new CEO is also an active musician which leaves me hopeful about the future of Pandora AMP.

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Cinq Music Nabs $20 Million From GoDigital For Music Rights Acquisitions, International Expansion

Cinq Music has completed a $20 million Series B rounded funded by GoDigital Media. Cinq will use the funding to purchase music rights, both masters and publishing, and to further expand internationally. Additional details of the funding were not disclosed.