A littler quieter on the news front this week. Last week was a doozy, so we all earned a little breather! Here's what you need to know:
- Apple Music is growing. There are some coflicting reports on exactly how much and how fast, BUT it's growing and that's a great thing. Their average per stream pay rate is about double Spotify's, so the growth is very welcome news to master holders (AKA - very likely YOU!).
- The Recording Academy is under fire. RA prez, Neil Portnow got himself into some hot water when he suggested that women need to "step up" in the industry -- essentially blaming them for the lack of recognition. I'm linking to an article about some major label execs thoughts' on the situation, but this is a conversation that is happening at every level. If you're not a part of it, go get yourself in some better Facebook groups!
- Pandora is downsizing (again). Sadly, we see more shrinkage from Pandora. They are a crappy player in terms of paying artists (the rate is so, so low), but they are incredible when it comes to music discovery. Personally, we at ABTS (and BBR) hope that the Pandora streamers find a new home soon ... & that it's not YouTube.
- Spotify is restructuring. The marketing and label services teams will be combined. Only a few departures from what I can tell. If you have a contact at Spotify, it seems that (for now) it will stay the same, but I'll report back with any new findings. Rumors a flying a bit and some people are suggesting that the restructure is leading to that long-rumored Spotify label (which would likely not be awesome for independents).
Guys, follow your dreams.
Each Monday we post relevant news stories from the previous week that you should be paying attention to as an indie artist. We'll mainly focus on streaming platforms, artist pay rates, and what's going on in the world of social media so you can access your fans better. What you won't find here: top level executive changes at major labels, big money marketing partnerships with giant artists, and things of that nature. As always, send us comments, suggestions, or things we may have missed!