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Spotify Radio gets thumbs up, thumbs down on desktop
Pretty much from day one, the mobile Spotify Radio feature outclassed its desktop counterpart, thanks to the presence of one feature -- thumbs up and thumbs down buttons. The ability to more finely tailor the music selection to your tastes is a pretty essential feature for any automatically generated playlist. Finally, Spotify is bringing the buttons to the Mac and Windows clients in an update rolling out today. Your likes and dislikes are synced across platforms and, best of all, the update finally lets you view radio stations you've created through the mobile app on your desktop.
Warner Music Group says streaming services now account for 25 percent of digital revenue
We've been seeing plenty of evidence that streaming music services like Spotify, Pandora and Rdio are pulling in more folks than ever, and we now also have a good idea of how that growth is affecting the bottom lines of music labels. In its third quarter earnings report, Warner Music Group revealed that streaming services now account for a full 25 percent of the digital revenue for its recorded music group. As AllThingsD reports, that translates to 8 percent of Warner Music's total revenue for the quarter, or about $54 million in all. What's more, that growth in streaming appears to be a net plus for the company all around, as it's apparently not cutting into traditional sales of digital music (at least, not yet), and is also bigger than the decrease in sales of physical media.
Pandora channel gets refresh, version 3.0 arrives on Roku
Pandora's music-sharing channel on Roku has been spruced up with a new station screen design and a few minor (but welcome) new features. Version 3.0 adds genre station functionality within a new grid interface, while the whole family (or at least up to five of them) can now connect their Pandora accounts to the same Roku hardware. For extended play, a new screen saver will display track details alongside album art and the renovated search will also display those album covers in results. Roku owners can expect their channel to auto-update in the next 48 hours, but anyone who hasn't yet sampled the delights of Pandora can pick up the free download from the streaming box's channel store.
Samsung Music Hub launches on Galaxy S III stateside with free trial in tow
Samsung's come a long way from the days of its first Galaxy S device. Relying back then, out of necessity, on third parties like 7Digital and Kobo to provide a white label content platform. Time, fortune and the popularity of its Android devices has changed the company's tack and with the unveiling of the Galaxy S III, it's heading for a streamlined user experience that integrates hardware with in-house software. Although Music Hub has already launched overseas in several European countries as part and parcel of its latest flagship, that service is now finally ready for primetime in the US. Built upon the mSpot tech it acquired this past May, the company's freemium service combines the best of both worlds, offering non-paying users access to a digital storefront loaded up with millions of tracks from all four major labels (and some indies, too), a web-based player, as well as the ability to store purchased music remotely and offline for "registered devices." Whereas, the subscription version builds upon those gratis goods by adding personalized radio stations, free streaming and an iTunes-like "Scan & Match" feature to the mix for $10 monthly. Ever cognizant of the already crowded digital music platforms provided by rivals, Samsung's tricking out this stateside debut with some goodies for the curious: a 30-day trial and one free album of their choosing. It's a nice incentive, for sure, but with so many already entrenched in the musical realms of rivals -- iTunes, Google Play and Spotify, for starters -- adoption of this new ecosystem's going to be a hard sell indeed. Click on past the break for the lowdown on this me-too, mobile music offering.
Spotify adds radio streaming to its Android app
Catching up to its iOS sibling, Spotify's announced that its premium (and all US-based) users can now enjoy the same not-so-random radio playback functionality on Google-powered mobile devices. This includes creating "radio stations" from any artist, album or playlist you suggest and the ability to gradually improve Spotify's playlist-making skills by offering thumbs-up (or down) feedback on its efforts. Visit the source for the Android app's latest version.
Spotify marks its first anniversary in the US with 13 billion listens, a whole lot of sharing goin' on
They grow up so fast, don't they? Spotify's US launch was just over a year ago, and the streaming music outlet wants us to know just how big its baby is getting. Americans listened to more than 13 billion tracks on the service in the first 365 days, and they shared more than twice as many -- 27,834,742, to be exact. Not surprisingly, just over half of that socializing went through Facebook, as you can see in the company's sugar-coated chart. Spotify is likewise flaunting 2,700 years' worth of time spent skulking around its app platform. Don't feel any pangs of regret if you forgot to buy something for Spotify's birthday, by the way: the company isn't holding any grudges and says you'll "love" what it has gift-wrapped for year two. We're hoping that involves more free radio stations and fewer holdout musicians.
Sony's Music Unlimited service finally reaches Japan homeland, offers access to over 10 million tracks
The rest of the world has been sampling Sony's streaming music wares for a while, but the all-you-can-listen subscription service has finally launched today in Japan, priced at 1,480 yen per month. Music Unlimited has now rolled out to both Sony hardware and various mobile OS', in a bid to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Spotify. Users can still 'match' their existing music collection to the cloud service -- if available -- and will be able to stream available music on any compatible device and even cache their playlists for offline playback. Hit up the PR after the break for all the details.
Rdio goes minimalist, tries another redesign on for size
Finally get settled into the last Rdio redesign from just a few months ago? Well, we're afraid you've got a bit more adjusting to do. The streaming music service has now rolled out another sweeping visual overhaul of its website and desktop apps -- one that ditches the former iTunes-like appearance for a far more minimalist look, although all of the key elements remain in the same places as before. Naturally, that brings with it yet another software update for the desktop apps, although there's no word on any changes for its mobile apps just yet.
Spotify now official on BlackBerry App World for compatible handsets
Spotify's been available to a certain segment of the BlackBerry population for some time now, but as of today it's become an official listing on RIM's app store. The app, which exited beta last December, hasn't changed -- there aren't any UI or performance tweaks in tow, simply a more convenient means of accessing the application without having to redirect to a dedicated mobile site. You can hit up the source below to start your download, but bear in mind you'll need a premium account to take advantage of the company's streaming service on-the-go.
So, Tesco buys Peter Gabriel's WE7 music service for $16.7 million
British Supermarket behemoth Tesco has snapped up WE7, a streaming music service co-founded by Peter Gabriel that offers personalized radio stations to users, for £10.8 million ($16.7 million). The UK's biggest supermarket has purchased 91 percent of the company, with the remaining stake set to be transferred over shortly. It looks like the chain will use WE7's infrastructure and resources as the spine for a beefier music service as British supermarkets look to diversify into the entertainment market following its purchase of Blinkbox last year.
Voice control comes to MOG's music streaming service with Ford SYNC AppLink
Good news for those who like music on-the-go, Ford had just added a new heavy hitter to its AppLink platform, and this time it comes from none other than MOG. The streaming service boasts a catalog of 15 million tracks, which is available to mobile devices for a monthly subscription fee of $9.99. With the Ford SYNC integration, users may access this vast library either through voice commands or in-dash controls, and as another nice touch, one's music queue will automatically resume from wherever they left off. Voice commands include "artist only" and "similar artists," along with "downloads" for situations when you aren't able to stream and "shuffle favorites." Finally, users may also create presets based on what's currently playing, simply by pressing and holding one of the in-dash preset buttons. This availability is solely for iOS users, but if you'd like to learn more, check the full PR after the break. %Gallery-157259%
Sonos' wireless Sub adds extra thump to your Sonos system for $700 (ears-on)
Although we generally raved about the performance of Sonos' Play:3 wireless HiFi speakers, one of our chief complaints rested in their slightly muddy bass output. Folks who've felt similarly should be pleased to know that the company has unveiled its first subwoofer, dubbed Sonos Sub. This $700 bass-dropper works wirelessly with your existing Sonos speakers, requiring a quick a setup within the app to ensure it's in-phase and putting out an adequate level of volume. You'll only find a single cable and switch for power on the outside, while looking through its center reveals a duo of "force-cancelling" drivers. Two internal air-ports also flow from top to bottom to aid in the unit's bass reproduction. We gave a pre-production unit a very brief listen with a stereo array of Sonos Play:3s and came out fairly impressed. The speakers are no slouches on their own, but there's no denying the extra power a sub can add to the HiFi boxes. Measuring in at 15.8 x 6.2 x 15 inches (402 x 158 x 380mm) the Sub dwarf's even the larger Play:5, but a Sonos rep let us know it ensures it'll cover a range of spaces -- not mention folks using the Connect:Amp with their own HiFi speakers (Sonos' Connect, ZP90 and ZP80 aren't compatible, however). We got pleasing results from our unit planted on a table a few feet away from any walls, and the system didn't show any signs or shaking or rattling. The Sub can thankfully rest sideways for placement under some couches, but you'll likely want to "set it and forget it" since it weighs about 36 pounds. Our only displeasure rests in the glossy finish -- a magnet for fingerprints and dust -- but we're told a non-gloss version will be offered later for $100 less. You'll be able to pick up this wub-maker come June 19, so check out the video and press release after the break for more info in the meantime. %Gallery-155914%
Bicom turns to Kickstarter to fund its new playGo AP1 AirPlay device
Bicom, makers of the Corian-hewn playGo USB will unveil a new AP1 AirPlay device, but only you if help fund it. After finding out that it wasn't able to produce last year's gear in enough quantity to bring the price down, the company has gone down the Kickstarter route to raise $150,000 in advanced funding. If it reaches its goal, the AP1 will connect to any stereo or pair of powered speakers, pumping out lossless audio for the audiophile in all of us. You can pre-order one right now for $200 or wait and see if the company succeeds, when it'll cost $275 off the shelf.
Rdio grows its European presence, hits France and the UK starting at £4.99 per month
The hottest tech news of the day in Europe will undoubtedly be the next Galaxy phone, launching tonight in London. Music fans on that side of the pond woke up to another surprise, however, with the launch of Rdio's online streaming service in France and the UK. Pricing starts at £4.99 (about $8) per month for unlimited web streaming, jumping to £9.99 (roughly $16) when you add mobile support. Ready to rock? Hit up the source link below for a six-day free mobile trial, without any need to hand over those precious credit card deets.
Rdio continues its plans for world domination, focusing on Europe
Rdio already has a number of stamps in its passport, Canada, Australia, Brazil and New Zealand amongst them. But, the current focus for the streaming music service is Europe, where it's already launched in Germany, Denmark, Portugal and Spain. While we still don't have any solid dates, Scott Bagby, the company's VP of partnerships and internationalization, told paidContent:UK that a pile of new nations are on deck for the coming months, with hopes of covering the entire continent. With licensing deals already struck in the UK, we're pretty confident England will be part of this next batch of rollouts, but Rdio has no intentions of confining itself to the western world. Bagby said in the interview, "we already have a guy on the ground in Asia," so look for the service to go live in a few more locales across the pacific. No time frame was given for the Asian launches but, if the company is serious about establishing a foothold there, it should do so sooner rather than later. As Bagby points out, Rdio is "a couple of years behind others in terms of expansion."
Rdio inks deal to license UK music, but doesn't offer up a visit date
One of those other music subscription services has inched towards British shores, announcing a licensing deal with PRS for Music, a not-for-profit organization representing around 85,000 songwriters and music publishers. The San Francisco-made music service has already launched across Europe, the US and Brazil, but still remains out of reach for Brits. While it's far from a confirmation of intent, the service might have plans to jump across to the land of royalty, Rich Tea biscuits and RPattz pretty soon.
Tranquil PC Skinny Ripper is a slim music-archiving server
If you've been avoiding ditching your CDs because ripping them all to an easily digestible and streamable format has proven too much of a hassle, then Tranquil PC might have the answer for you. The Skinny Ripper is a slim, fanless server with an optical drive that automatically rips any disk you insert and saves the contents to the internal 1TB drive. The embedded version of Fedora also has Subsonic music streaming app preinstalled so you can playback your collection from any smartphone or computer with a browser. You can order one now at the source link, starting at £665.83 ($1,051).
NPR Music iPad app puts Tiny Desk Concerts a few swipes away
Feel like peeping a live performance from The Decemberists during your coffee shop work session? You can do just that via the new NPR Music app for your iPad. Once you download the free software onto your Apple slate, you're a few screen taps away from live performances, advance album listens and live streaming radio content. The app also enables offline listening through its visual playlist feature. If you're a fan of The Shins, an exclusive in-app concert streams live on March 7th. Itching to snag the app for your tablet? Hit the iTunes source link below.
Spotify tops three million paying subscribers, 20 percent of its active user base
It hit two million paying subscribers in September of last year and 2.5 million in November, and now Spotify has hit another big milestone. According to the Financial Times, it now has three million subscribers paying for one of its premium services, which reportedly represents more than 20 percent of its active user base. As the FT notes, that percentage is up from 15 percent in March of last year, and Spotify says that its "active" users don't include folks who signed up for a a free trial of its premium service but didn't continue to use the free service. Interestingly, the company also revealed that over half of its paying subscribers are under 30, which Spotify's Ken Parks says is a "remarkable number of people who are generally hard to monetize."
Rhapsody soars past a million paying customers, president Jon Irwin shaves his head in celebration
Whatever Spotify can do, Rhapsody can do better? Not quite, but it's getting there. While the former cruised past 2.5 million paying customers last month, Rhapsody has just announced that it has "gone platinum." It's now serving a cool million paying subscribers, right on the heels of its ten-year anniversary. The company's delivering around ten million songs per day, while making itself available on over 60 devices. What's next? Well, president Jon Irwin has to grow his locks back (seriously!), and we're guessing it'll try to lock down a few more carrier partnerships as the months drag on. When pinged for comment, Billy Corgan said: "I'm on vacation."
