LANDR Raises $26M To Expand Beyond AI Powered Mastering

AI-powered music mastering platform LANDR has closed a $26 million Series B financing round led by Sony Innovation Fund, microphone manufacturer Shure and state-owned financing corporation Investissement Québec and Fonds de solidarité FTQ. Additional investors include Warner Music, Plus Eight Equity Partners, Slaight Communications, YUL Ventures and PEAK Capital Partners….

Google Is Launching Yet Another Social Network. This Time It’s Called Shoelace

While nobody is about to deny Google’s stature as a company, it has struggled to cultivate much success in the social network department. Still, it’s not about to stop trying, as evidenced by its new attempt at the hyper-local social media platform, Shoelace. ________________________ Guest post by Bobby Owsinski of…

6 Things Every Crowdfunding Campaign Needs To Be Successful

In the wake of PledgeMusic’s recent historic trainwreck, trust in crowdfunding platforms has sunk to an all-time low. In spite of this recent challenge, however, crowdfunding remains a very much viable avenue for artists looking to fundraise for a project or tour, provided their campaign has all the necessary elements….

Understanding, Controlling Your Finances As An Artist

As an artist, understanding and effectively managing your finances isn’t always something that comes naturally, and is often acquired through a risky trial and error process. It doesn’t have to be that way however, and in this piece we look at how to craft a budget based on an understanding…

Spotify [SPOT] Schedules Next Earnings Report

Spotify [SP0T] will share its second quarter 2019 financial results in a call with shareholders and analysts on Wednesday, July 31st before the market opens. Spotify stock has shown strength in recent weeks rising from a May 23rd low of $121.58 to a close at $145.29 on Monday. The company…

Epidemic Sound Raises $20M At $370M Valuation

The explosion in video creation on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and elsewhere has been good for Epidemic Sound. The Swedish startup has raised just $20 million at a $370 million valuation to expand its platform which allows online creators to soundtrack videos. Investors in this round include Korea’s DS…

Spotify Says It Overpaid Songwriters And Wants Money Back

In it’s latest spat with music publishers, Spotify says they owe the streamer for overpayments. Last year’s US Copyright Royalty Board rate change included a retroactive cut in the minimum payment that the streamer makes on student and family plans along with a graduated 44% increase in payments to songwriters…

PledgeMusic Board Issue Update: "Still pursuing a sale"

One month to the day after the PledgeMusic board issued a statement that the troubled crowdfunder was headed to administration, the UK equivalent of bankruptcy, the company’s board of directors issued a brief update. "PledgeMusic is still pursuing a sale (which if it happens is likely to be via an…

Talk Music To Me: The Future Of Podcasts [Kyle Bylin]

Hypebot contributor Kyle Bylin writes that Spotify’s recent acquisition of Anchor, a podcast production and distribution platform, suggests that it will empower artists and influencers to create their own shows. This would introduce an entirely new opportunity for them to build an audience and connect with their listeners on Spotify….

New Crowdfunding Platform From Bandzoogle Seeks To Fill PledgeMusic Void

In the wake of music crowdfunder PledgeMusic’s tumultuous downfall into bankruptcy, Bandzoogle has stepped up to the plate and done some serious renovations on its website in hopes of giving artists another option to run successful crowdfunding campaigns. _________________________________ Guest post by Jeremy Young of Soundfly’s Flypaper By now, I’m…