MusicStreamingService
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Tidal burns through its third CEO in two years
Yet another Tidal CEO is out. Jeff Toig, who took over the position from interim CEO Peter Tonstad in 2016, has reportedly left the company. Which means Tidal is now looking for its fourth chief executive in two years.
Google launches All Access music-streaming service in the US: $9.99 monthly fee
And now, one of the most anticipated I/O announcements. As rumored, Google has been working toward the launch of its own music-streaming service, and the official unveiling came today. Dubbed Google Play Music All Access, the product has a strong focus on personalized recommendations via the so-called Explore feature. Like Spotify and other services, All Access will let you start a radio station while listening to a particular track, and in-depth tweaking controls allow you to nix songs that don't suit your fancy. Another feature demoed onstage is Listen Now, which highlights new releases and content Google thinks you'll enjoy. As anticipated, All Access will require a monthly fee. A subscription costs $9.99 in the US, and all users will get a 30-day free trial. The service is launching stateside today, and if you sign up before June 30th, you'll get $2 off the monthly fee. We'll be taking All Access for a test drive as soon as possible -- check back for our initial impressions. %Gallery-188433%
Deezer announces 'App Studio' for developers, 'App Centre' store and Echo Nest partnership
Deezer may not be the number one player in the music streaming game, but it's looking to gain ground on its biggest rival with the release of its "App Studio." In addition to an "App Centre" for showcasing software that integrates the service's catalogue, developers "can now place feature-rich apps inside Deezer.com." The company also hopes that a partnership with Echo Nest should make it easier for devs to use music in their projects. A modest 8 items will be available in the App Centre at launch, including the edjing app for mixing Deezer tracks on virtual decks, and the cheeky Spotizr app for importing your Spotify playlist. The French streaming outfit has also been busy improving its social aspects in Facebook and through updates to its Android and iOS apps. Check out the PR below for more info on recent news, details on how to get developing, and the full list of launch-day App Centre wares.
Rara.com expands to iOS, Windows 8 and more countries
Rara.com has been mighty busy since its luddite-friendly music streaming service launched at the end of last year, and now it's reporting the outcome of those 10 months of toil. In addition to an improved web experience and new Android widget, an AirPlay-compatible app for iOS is now available, with software for Windows 8 arriving alongside its launch. Rara's 18 million tracks haven't only invaded other platforms, but other countries, too -- residents of Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa and Portugal have joined the party, bringing the total number of compatible countries to 27. Lenovo is also getting a piece of the action, as a worldwide agreement means Rara software will now come pre-installed on the manufacturer's Android tablets and Windows 8 gear. Want to hear more about Rara's recent accomplishments? Then head for the PR after the break.
Vevo's website redesign simplifies the video watch page, adds artist pages
Chances are you've enjoyed Vevo's music video catalogue in one form or another, and purists who prefer .com access are being rewarded today with a fresh website design. The "video watch page" was previously littered with related clips, a playlist and other distractions, which have now been dispatched for greater focus on the tune at hand. Much of this has been moved to "artist pages", a new pop-up hub (pictured above) which is full of extra info on your chosen act. Head over to Vevo to see the enhancements for yourself, and with impending OUYA support, you might want to consider it your primary dispensary for that daily dose of Biebzilla.
Nokia, AT&T and Green Day join forces for Nokia Music launch event in NYC
Nicki Minaj was there to introduce us to the Lumia 900 earlier in the year, and now Green Day has been drafted in to celebrate the launch of Nokia Music. Lumia-toting Americans were granted access to the free music streaming service a couple of days ago without much fuss, but the official party kicks off on September 15th at NYC's Irving Plaza. AT&T's also putting its name to the event, and if you head over to Green Day's Facebook page, you'll find instructions on how to get your chance to be there. Let's hope this one goes well for Nokia's marketing team, because if it's anything like that Lumia 920 embarrassment, they'll probably just want waking up when September ends.
Grooveshark circles back again, swaps app for HTML5
It's hard to keep up with whether Grooveshark is in the Google Play store, or out again, but now it doesn't matter. The music streaming service has decided to ditch its yo-yoing app, and instead opt for a flashy new HTML5 website for all devices. It's gone live in the US with an international launch "in the coming months", although this London-based editor didn't have any trouble using it. If you've been missing your favorites list, then jump over to Grooveshark.com and get listening -- after all, you might see it disappear again soon if a fresh lawsuit from EMI has any impact.
Grooveshark app nowhere to be found, suddenly disappears from Google Play again
Oh poor, poor Grooveshark. Not long after surprisingly making its way back to the Android Market Google Play store, the streaming service's Android application appears to be long gone yet again. If you'll recall, the music app was pulled from Mountain View's shop a few months back; this due to many claims from labels which suggested Grooveshark was allowing users to download tunes at no cost. Still, mum's the word on why the app has been nixed out of Google Play this time around -- especially after the service announced it had worked closely with the Android maker to get the official app reinstalled. For what it's worth, however, word on the internet is the application can still be installed via the Grooveshark site, but we'll have to leave that dicey decision up to you.
Grooveshark back in Google Play after piracy hullabaloo
Grooveshark is no stranger to controversy, but after it was sued by major music labels, Google decided it'd had enough and pulled the app last year. But the streaming service said it's never allowed free downloading, claiming other apps using its name without permission were permitting the piracy instead. The faux-Grooveshark offenders were booted with Google's help, and the app has subsequently been re-stocked on Play's virtual shelves. Meanwhile, the company has paid its debt to EMI, and could even be the target of an acquisition, according to CNET. So, if you want to share the news with your pals (along with some tunes), hit the source below.
Rdio Android app updated with playlist and search improvements, puts new releases in grid view
Much like its desktop counterpart, Rdio's Android app is constantly being tweaked -- adjusting its style, adding features and generally doing the whole mobile update dance. Among a slew of standard bug fixes, the streaming music service's latest app update promises playlist editing improvements, including the ability to jump directly from a song in a playlist to its parent album, clickable activity stream URLs and more complete search results. The update boasts some user interface improvements as well, placing new releases in a grid view. Ready to upgrade? Hit up the Google Play at the source link below.
Spotify users in Germany no longer need Facebook account to register
Spotify users in Germany no longer need a Facebook account to register for the music service, Digital Music News reports. Since Spotify buddied up with the social network last year, users across the globe have had to hand over their Facebook info to create an account and start streaming. Now Germans will have the option to create a Spotify account by providing their email address and creating a username, though the Facebook requirement holds true for all other countries. As TNW points out, that change in policy may have something to do with the fact that less than 30 percent of Germans are on Facebook, compared to more than 50 percent for Americans and Brits -- but we suspect Germany's notoriously heavy emphasis on privacy had something to do with it as well.
Sonos to bring subscription-based QQ Music service to its hardware in China
Wireless HiFi maker, Sonos, has just signed a deal with Tencent Holdings to provide the QQ Music service direct via its hardware in China. The holdings firm owns the QQ suite of internet services that boasts a massive user base in the country. QQ Music already exists in an ad-supported form, but the new partnership will break it out directly into audio equipment, and hopefully encourage users over to the premium paid-for version. The consumer preview is available on all Sonos systems if China now via the Sonos controller. A personalized version will follow, later this year.
Poll: Which music streaming service are you using for iOS?
In light of Spotify launching its long awaited iPad app, and iMore's recent in-depth look at the top three music streaming services available for the iPhone, we thought we'd take a little TUAW poll to see just which music streaming services (if any) TUAW readers use on their iOS devices. Trend setters say more of us are streaming the music instead of buying it. Let's find out if this is true among our readers. And if so, which service is the most popular? Check out the poll below and vote for the option which best suits you. %Poll-75009%
iMore compares top music streaming services for the iPhone
iMore has conducted an in-depth comparison of three of the most popular music streaming services available for the iPhone: Spotify, Pandora and Slacker. As mentioned in the article, iTunes is certainly king when it comes to the purchase of digital music, but undoubtedly, there's an ever increasing demand for music to be streamed to our iPhones, which iTunes does not offer. But out of the top three available, which service offers the best value for money? In searching for the answer, iMore takes a very close look at the apps and features offered by Spotify, Pandora and Slacker for the iPhone. Taking into consideration the user interface and experience, content offered by each service, cross-platform syncing and streaming, audio quality and finally, cost and features, iMore comes to some interesting conclusions about each service's strengths and weaknesses. Most notably, Spotify (which was voted best iPhone music app of 2011 by TUAW readers) offers the best audio quality at 320kbps for its premium users (this is dependent on your Internet connection), but its premium service is the most expensive. Pandora came in cheapest for its premium service, but at its core is detailed as an online radio streaming service. It's great for discovering new music and listening to certain styles of music, but not for choosing to listen to a particular artist or album. According to iMore, Slacker comes up tops because it offers a happy medium between the best of Spotify and Pandora: Slacker offers the best mix of discovering new music and customizing the music you want to stream. If you're looking into streaming music on the iPhone, iMore's article is certainly worth a read to help you weigh up the pros and cons offered by each service, so that you can make a decision which best serves you.
Deezer music streaming service rolls out offline mode, still not available in the US
While Stateside folks are still waiting for the service to land, tune-streaming Deezer is keeping itself and its current groupies occupied. During today's London Web Summit, the company announced a new feature simply dubbed "off-line mode," which will be up for grabs to any Premium+ subscriber. The fresh bit allows paid subs to download their tune collection onto a desktop or laptop machine and have access to it offline, something rival Spotify's been doing since its beginnings. Worth noting is the feature will only work on the Big G's browser during its initial launch, though support for others is said to be coming "very soon." Enjoy. We'll just have to keep awaiting.
Rdio Android app gets a refresh, adds ICS support and new design
Tune streaming service Rdio has just given its Android application a major makeover. Not only will the app experience the Ice Cream Sandwich treatment for the first time (happy, GNex owners?), but it's also gotten a new look that's easier on the eyes. Furthermore, Rdio added the ability to view user profiles, and also enhanced the app's search capabilities. Amongst the rest of the improvements -- some of which are being ported from the desktop client -- are traits like top charts, recommendations and new releases. You can grab the free update now if you're a current subscriber, otherwise you'll have to jump on board before you can take the app for a spin.
Rhapsody music streaming lands on Android tablets with 'magazine-style' app
If you use Rhapsody to satisfy your $10-per-month musical appetite, then here's another way to digest. The service can now be accessed through an app tailored to Android slates, featuring music discovery tools like expert playlists and guides, original editorial content, and exclusive recordings -- all on top of a 14 million song catalog. You'll need Honeycomb or ICS plus a minimum nine-inch display to run it though, so all you HTC Flyer, Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus and other 'handy pad' owners will have to stick to the phone version. More details in the PR after the break.
Napster name will live on to irritate Lars Ulrich another day in UK, Germany
Those who declared the death of Napster have apparently underestimated the survival skills of the plucky headphone-wearing feline. The piracy-enabler-turned-legit-streaming-service will continue to live on under that moniker in the UK and Germany, in spite of its being swallowed up by the Rhapsody name here in the States, according to the company.
Logitech Squeezebox gets MOG personalized music streaming
This one's for you, Squeezebox listeners: you can now add the MOG music streaming service to your list of apps and stream 13 million mood-categorized tracks to your system at up to 320Kbps. It's ad-free for $5 per month, you can try it for 14 days before you commit, and installing the app should be easy via the mysqueezebox link below. In our household, the favorite mood seems to be swing.
Orange / Deezer strike mobile music streaming deal
When it comes to music subscription services, Spotify isn't the only game in town -- but you knew that already. Here in the States we've got Rhapsody and Rdio to name but a couple, and in Europe, Deezer has been making a bit of a name for itself over the past few years. The French service will likely be expanding its reach in the UK, thanks to a deal struck with Orange. Deezer is now available as part of the carrier's Panther plan -- Orange customers on other plans will have to pay £9.99 a month to get their stream on. Press release after the break.
