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Marilyn Manson released his latest album on early PlayStation CDs
by
Jon Fingas04.29.2015
The '90s are back in style, in more ways than one. Kill Screen has revealed that Marilyn Manson released his latest album (The Pale Emperor) on the black CDs used for original PlayStation games, made in the same Sony plant. No, they're not meant to rekindle two of your fondest teenage memories. Manson's art directors chose these discs because they help underscore the album's themes of darkness and light. They start out pitch black, but a newly-added thermal layer turns them white when you play them -- clever, isn't it? With that said, you'll probably have a hard time appreciating this thematic trick. While you might still be a Marilyn Manson fan, the odds are that you ditched CD-based music a while ago.[Image credit: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images]
Jay Z says his Tidal music service is doing just fine, thank you
by
Jon Fingas04.27.2015
Jay Z re-launched Tidal with a lot of fanfare, but how well is his artist-owned streaming service doing so far? Just fine, if you ask the man himself. As part of a flurry of Twitter posts, Mr. Carter revealed that Tidal has "over 770,000" subscribers to date. He also scoffs at the idea that Tidal is solely about pampering wealthy artists who want a larger cut -- the rapper argues that Tidal's $60 million in equity value pales in comparison to the billions in musical net worth at rivals like iTunes and Spotify. Every artist on Tidal gets a 75 percent royalty rate, Jay Z says, not just those with a direct stake.
Will Tidal's artist exclusives ruin streaming music?
by
Billy Steele04.23.2015
Tidal, the Jay Z-led music-streaming service, recently relaunched at the end of March with a roster of high-profile celebrity backers, like Madonna, Rihanna and Kanye West. The event was much more than an obvious photo-opp; it was a statement: In addition to a ceremonial pact signing, the group of over a dozen artists pledged to tackle fair compensation and improve the current state of streaming affairs for consumers and musicians. Part of this strategy involves offering content exclusive to Tidal. And while extra content is nice, it becomes worrisome when the exclusive bits take the form of much-anticipated full album releases. That seems to be Tidal's plan to lure and retain subscribers. It's a business plan that could very well kill the streaming-music vibe for everyone, especially when we've become used to an all-you-can-stream listening habit.
Tidal Discovery will allow independent artists to upload directly
by
Billy Steele04.22.2015
While Tidal didn't have too much to say about independent artists during its relaunch a couple weeks ago, the company is lending a hand now. In an interview with Smashd, Tidal's Chief Information Officer Vania Schlogel discussed the upcoming Discovery feature for the service -- the ability for indie acts to upload music directly. Why is this a big deal? Well, for the likes of Spotify, those musicians have to go through a third-party service like CD Baby or TuneCore to get their music in the apps. Since record labels typically handle licensing deals with subscription services, if you're unsigned, you have to find another middleman. What's more, all artists will have access to Tidal's dashboard, where they can see exactly who's listening to their music and get contact info for each person. That's how Jay Z and Jack White were able to offer those thank-you calls last week.
The 'Journey' game soundtrack will be available on vinyl
by
Jon Fingas04.21.2015
Sony and Thatgamecompany are proud that Journey's soundtrack was good enough to make it the first game nominated for a Grammy -- so proud, in fact, that they're releasing the score on vinyl. Spend $35 and you'll get a double LP of Austin Wintory's original score for the music-driven adventure, complete with art on each side of both discs. You'll have to wait until August to start listening, although you can get a $60 limited edition print of the album art this June. Is this overkill for a game that you can easily finish in an afternoon? Quite possibly, but it's a testament to how soundtracks like this are increasingly finding relevance beyond your console.
Jay Z is calling Tidal users to personally thank them for signing up
by
Billy Steele04.17.2015
In addition to signing on a roster of big name artists to help lure new subscribers, Jay Z is handling some of the customer service duties as well. Mr. Carter is calling folks who signed up for Tidal's music streaming service to personally thank them. It sounds odd, but the company confirmed to us "that's 1000% true." He's not the only one, though, as Tidal executive Vania Schloge told Business Insider that Jack White and others are calling subscribers, too. Using one of the services' features, artists can log in and see exactly who is listening to their music alongside contact info for those people. It's certainly a personal approach, but one can wonder if that star-packed relaunch didn't provide the boost in new subscriptions the company hoped. The company also announced today that it replaced CEO Andy Chen with Peter Tonstad, who was in charge before Mr. Carter & Co. took ownership. Of course, being a part owner of the project is certainly motivation to get more involved. I just wonder if Jay Z used a video phone.[Image credit: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images]
Spotify ads cater to the mood of your music
by
Billy Steele04.17.2015
Targeted advertising isn't a new concept, and Spotify is looking to examine your playlist habits before serving up those messages. The streaming service offers a library of curated mixes based on genre and mood, and eager advertisers can now leverage a listener's state of mind to sell their products. Playlist Targeting is the official name of the feature, with collections of tracks for Chill, Party, Workout, Romance, Sleep and more providing the opportunity for brands to woo would-be customers. Spotify says 41 of its top 100 playlists are context related (like the mood options), and users spend an average of nearly 2.5 hours listening a day. That's a lot of time for Trojan ads during the Bedroom Jams playlist.
Tidal offers easy playlist transfers to lure new users
by
Billy Steele04.16.2015
It's no secret that Tidal has an uphill climb ahead of it before catching up with the likes of Spotify. That's not stopping Jay Z & Co. from doing their best to get you to switch, with the promise of exclusive content and more. Today, Tidal announced yet another attempt to lure you from your current service: easy playlist transfers. Thanks to a partnership with Soundiiz, you can bring over saved playlists from Deezer, Rdio, Spotify, Xbox Music and more. It'll even handle those collections you've built with files you own. It sounds pretty simple, too. Select the services where you've saved the curated lists, and then a drag and drop interface allows you to place them with the new choice. Of course, you'll still have to hand over $10/month for the Premium option or $20/month for the HiFi tier.[Image credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images For Roc Nation]
Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference begins June 8th
by
Jon Fingas04.14.2015
If you're wondering what Apple will do next with its mobile devices and the Mac, you won't have to wait too long to find out. The tech giant has announced the 2015 Worldwide Developer Conference, which starts on June 8th. It's not providing too many clues as to what will be there, but you can apply for tickets now -- and you'll have the option to stream sessions live if you can't make it out to San Francisco. It's safe to say that the event will include news on software for the Apple Watch, iOS and OS X, and it won't be shocking if Apple has something to say about a new streaming music service or a next-generation Apple TV. Whatever happens, you know we'll be there to give you the full scoop.
Navigate YouTube in 15 more languages
by
Mariella Moon04.14.2015
YouTube's developers are doing what they can to welcome as many people as possible using their own language. Google's video-sharing website has always been a polyglot, but now it has added support for 15 more languages, bringing the total to 76. That covers the native tongues of 95 percent of internet users, at least according to YouTube. To be clear, those 76 options are for site navigation only, and choosing any of them translates the website's links, buttons and text -- the videos themselves already have caption support for over 165 languages. You can see the full list below the fold, but here are the 15 new additions:Azerbaijani - Azərbaycan (az), Armenian - Հայերեն (hy) , Georgian - ქართული (ka) , Kazakh - Қазақ Тілі (kk) , Khmer - ខ្មែរ (km), Kirghiz - Кыргызча (ky), Lao - ລາວ (lo), Macedonian - Македонски (mk), Mongolian - Монгол (mn), Myanmar (Burmese) - ဗမာ (my), Nepali - नेपाली (ne), Punjabi - ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (pa), Sinhala - සිංහල (si), Albanian - Shqip (sq), Uzbek - OʻZbekcha (uz).
Apple's iOS 8.4 beta includes a brand-new music player
by
Jon Fingas04.13.2015
Think that iOS' music player is overdue for a remake? You're going to get your wish. Apple has released the first iOS 8.4 beta to developers, and its centerpiece is a shiny, new Music app. The refresh includes at least a few long-sought changes, including some borrowed from iTunes: There's a mini player that sticks around while you're browsing, global search and an "Up Next" song queue. You'll also see a sleeker iTunes Radio interface that helps you discover new tracks. There's no sign of the Beats-based music service rumored to come alongside 8.4, but that's not supposed to show up until Apple's developer conference at the earliest -- if it exists, it's probably going to stay under wraps for a little while.Update: For a look at the new app in action, check out a video hands-on from Youtuber DetroitBORG embedded after the break.[Image credit: 9to5Mac]
Musicians and Congress join forces in fight for royalty reform
by
Billy Steele04.13.2015
Fair artist compensation from internet radio and streaming services is quite the hot topic of late, and now members of Congress are joining the debate. Congressman Jerrold Nadler, D-NY, and Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, R-TN, alongside the musicFIRST Coalition, introduced the Fair Play Fair Pay Act today that would end regulations that don't require terrestrial radio stations to pay royalties to artists and labels. As it stands, those AM/FM stations available in your car only pay licensing fees to songwriters and publishers. Organizations like ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) handle those agreements, collecting fees every time a copyrighted song is played on the radio or during a public performance. For its part in managing those agreements, ASCAP brought in over $1 billion last year.
Vinyl is back, and now it has its own UK top 40
by
Nick Summers04.13.2015
Vinyl is making a comeback. Album sales in the UK climbed to 1.29 million last year -- the first time the 1 million mark has been surpassed since 1996. The format is still just a fraction of the total UK albums market (1.5 percent, to be precise) but now its success is being recognised in the charts. The UK's Official Charts Company is launching two vinyl-specific top 40s today -- one for albums and another for 7-inch and 12-inch singles -- for the first time in Britain. The renewed interest in vinyl doesn't appear to be slowing either, with album sales in the first quarter of 2015 up 69 percent from the same period last year. Is the growth from audiophiles, collectors, DJs, or a mixture of all three? It's not clear, but in the age of streaming, it's nice to see that analog still has a place with music lovers.
Apple reportedly in talks with Taylor Swift for Beats Music exclusives
by
Billy Steele04.10.2015
Exclusive content was mentioned more that once during Tidal's recent relaunch at the hands of Jay Z & Co. Not to be outdone by the celebrity-backed competition, it seems Apple is also looking to offer releases that you won't be able to find anywhere else -- at lease for a period of time. Bloomberg reports the folks in Cupertino are in talks with Florence and the Machine, Taylor Swift and "more than a dozen" others about exclusive deals for its upcoming streaming service. The former has an album that's set to drop in June -- a follow-up to 2011's Grammy-nominated effort Ceremonials. If you'll recall, Ms. Swift's catalog will be available on Tidal, as it doesn't have a free option like the service she spurned last year.
Windows 10 will offer a one-stop shop for apps, music and video
by
Nicole Lee04.10.2015
If you're a Windows user who's tired of flipping back and forth between the Xbox Music and Video stores to get your media fix, then you'll be pleased to know that will all change with the next version of Windows. Microsoft has revealed that, at long last, it plans on combining music, video and apps in a single unified store in Windows 10. You can start to see the change already if you're signed up for the Windows 10 Technical Preview -- indeed, Microsoft has just started rolling out the Movies & TV page in the Store beta. With the recent release of preview versions of the Music and Videos apps, you can go ahead and browse, search and view rented or purchased media in those two apps, just like you could with their Xbox equivalents. Of course, this is all still very much in beta at the moment, but it's a good sneak peek at how Microsoft plans to unify its store experience across all of its products.
8tracks indie music library is a hipster's dream
by
Mona Lalwani04.09.2015
If your musical tastes are too obscure for Spotify and Pandora, 8tracks' got you covered. The radio-style app averages eight million active members and about 30 million hours of streaming every month. Today, the company is rolling out a library feature that allows members (or DJs) to access 6.5 million tracks from independent music storehouses like INgrooves, CD Baby, Dim Mak and more. Over the last six years since its inception, 8tracks has become a discovery tool for the indie music loving community. Two-thirds of its streams are from independent labels and musicians. With the new partnerships, it strengthens that position and continues to support artists with exposure and royalties.
Indiegogo plan needs $500k to put holographic Selena on tour
by
Andrew Tarantola04.09.2015
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez could soon be going back on tour despite having been dead for more than two decades. Like Tupac and Michael Jackson before her, the Latin American icon will return to the stage -- in hologram form -- as early as 2018. All that needs to happen first is the funding of a $500,000 Indiegogo campaign (which launches on April 16th). Not only will "Selena The One," as her digital version will be known, go on tour but there are reportedly plans afoot to "release new songs and videos ... and collaborate with current hit artists." Obviously, she won't be writing new material but if Selena's unpublished catalog is anywhere near as large as either Michael's or Tupac's, her fans will have years of entertainment to look forward to.
Watch Jack White, Drake and others live from Coachella this weekend
by
Billy Steele04.07.2015
If you prefer to enjoy music festivals with actual bathrooms, a hot shower and no dust, you're in luck. Just like previous years, you'll be able to stream three days of live music from Coachella on YouTube this weekend (April 10-12). Don't expect to see the full lineup of artists, but with three channels of performances and commentary, you'll be able to take in most of the big names. This year's list of acts includes AC/DC, Drake, Florence & The Machine, Interpol, Jack White, Run the Jewels, Vic Mensa and many more. If some of those names don't sound familiar, interactive profiles will bring you up to speed while you watch. There's also a virtual map of the festival that lets you to see photos taken on site, and a schedule feature that automatically updates based on your time zone and the channel you're watching. The stream begins Friday, so fire up your Chromecast or other YouTube-friendly device then, and head over to the Coachella YouTube page.[Image credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images]
Madonna continues her app tour with a video premiere on Meerkat
by
Jon Fingas04.07.2015
Madonna is still determined to hold on to the spotlight by premiering music videos in the internet services du jour. Her next stop? Meerkat. Swing by the livestreaming service at 1PM Eastern and you'll see the Material Girl's video for "Ghosttown" before it makes its way elsewhere. The stunt is undoubtedly going to get some attention, but it also suggests that Madonna is a bit behind the curve -- many of the cool kids have already moved on to Periscope. And what happened to all the juicy exclusives that are destined for Tidal, where the singer is a partner? As unique as this debut may be, it's not the first place we'd go to get some buzz from the younger crowd.[Image credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia]
Chrome extension adds 'Animal Crossing' music to every website
by
Nick Summers04.06.2015
In Animal Crossing, life isn't supposed to be stressful. Whether you're catching bugs, rearranging furniture or simply chatting with your fellow townsfolk, each game has always offered relaxing and utterly charming moments of escapism. The soundtracks complement the laid-back gameplay perfectly, and now you can listen to them through Google's Chrome browser too. As Polygon reports, a fan-made extension adds a tiny K.K. Slider to the toolbar which, once activated, plays tunes that correspond with the time of day.
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