Introducing Voltra’s ‘Stream To Own’ Approach

Although the idea of owning music may seem antiquated in the streaming age, a new online store known as Voltra is approaching things differently by offering consumers a ‘stream to own’ option, where users can initially listen to a song for free, and then pay for it incrementally with each…

Piracy Is What Made Me, Says Ed Sheeran

While piracy is often demonized as an aspect of the industry which ruins careers before they’ve even really begun, the reality is that the illicit dissemination of music can in many ways help to grow an artist’s presencein the industry, as was the case with Ed Sheeran. ______________________ Guest post…

Dubset Scores $4 Million To License, Monetize Remixes

Dubset Media has scored a $4 million Series A funding round, led by Cue Ball Capital. Founded in 20o8, the company had previously closed two funding rounds for undisclosed rounds from investors including Rhapsody and Three Six Zero. ________________________________ Other notable participants in Dubset’ $4 million Series A round include…

How To Sell Music Online – The Complete Guide

[UPDATED] For any artist prepping to release new music, how they’re going to distribute it to the masses should be a top priority. Getting the music online is easy enough, but it’s important to also have a plan for when and where it goes up. ________________________ In the recent post…

How To Use Soundcloud To Drive iTunes Sales

With ubiquity of streaming, 2017 can seem like a tough year in which to expect to sell any of your music. This hardly means it’s impossible however. Here we look at a five step strategy for marking your music on Soundcloud to boost sales on iTunes. _______________________ Guest Post by…

Study Suggests Connecting With Fans, Public Shaming More Effective Than Legislation At Combating Piracy

In an age where piracy is commonplace, using legal tools to combat it has proved largely ineffective. A new study suggests that publishers are better off connecting with fans and providing them with a compelling reason to purchase music instead. ________________________ Guest Post by Timothy Geigner on Techdirt We have…

The Real Story Behind Apple iTunes’ 69¢ Song Option

In this piece we dive into the history of Apple’s song pricing structure, who was responsible for dictating prices, and the rationale behind the 69¢ song, both over the past few years, and in its current iteration. _________________________ Guest Post by Peter Alhadeff and Laura Green Berklee’s Music Business Journal….

Neil Young To Transform Pono Into High-Res Streaming Service

After his recent high-fidelity download service w/ dedicated player flopped, Neil Young is seeking to reinvent Pono as a high-resolution streaming service, although whether this new service will succeed either remains uncertain. ______________________________ Guest Post by Bobby Owsinski on Music 3.0 Neil Young has finally gotten the message about his…

Coalition Of Top Music Industry Trade Groups Congratulate Trump On Win, Signal Agreement With Piracy Promises

Despite deep distrust of President – elect Trump within much of the music community, a diverse group of industry trade groups including A2IM, ASCAP, BMI, The RIAA, The Recording Academy and the NMPA have written an open letter congratulating him on his win and signaling support for his campaign pledge…

As Paid Music Streaming Escalates Paying Downloaders Can’t Be Left Behind

Although paid streaming subscriptions have continued to grow at a steady rate, the far more rapid decline of paid downloads, along with CD sales suggests that streaming services need to grow their paying subscriber base at an even greater rate. ________________________ Guest Post by Russ Crupnick on Music Watch As…