Spotify wants to remix into a social platform
As live audio and podcasting become more popular, Spotify is aggressively investing in new formats to become the king of social audio.
Content
Tidal trickles down direct-artist payments
Tidal plans to roll out a feature that sets aside 10% of subscription revenue for artists that each subscriber listens to the most.
Platforms help hitmakers make more hits
Youtube, TikTok, and Snapchat now have coaches to offer advice and guidance for creators.
Streaming services stay coy on data to write their own narratives
Streaming services often hide as much viewership data as they can.
Substack hits one million paid subscribers
The newsletter startup officially reached one million paid subscribers.
Spotify collects audiobook platform
Spotify is moving into audiobooks with the acquisition of Findaway.
Spotify’s next frontier: video… and more advertising
Spotify is transitioning its business from a music streamer to a creator-focused platform that provides support for any audio and video content.
Mirror crowdsources publication curation on the blockchain
A publishing platform called Mirror combines blockchain tech, crowdfunding tools, and even a little Squid Game-like competition.
Ghost retailers stock up physical DTC stores
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are turning to “ghost retailers” to build one-off physical stores, allowing DTCs to bypass the headaches of getting into brick-and-mortar.
WarnerMedia’s “Project Popcorn” doesn’t fully pop
WarnerMedia’s Project Popcorn (its strategy of releasing its 2021 film slate simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max) produced relatively strong subscriber growth for the new streamer but paltry box office grosses.