1. WillCall Raises $1.2 Million From Sean Parker, Coran Capshaw, Others

    August 08, 2013 11:29 AM EDT WillCall, a San Francisco-based developer of a mobile app for concerts, has raised $1.2 million in angel funding from Sean Paker, Coran Capshaw, Loeb & Loeb partner John Frankenheimer, Red Light Management’s Bruce Flohr and a number of othe ...

  2. BandPage Links Up with VEVO, Xbox Music

    August 08, 2013 10:00 AM EDT BandPage on Thursday announced deals to integrate its database of more than half a million artists with VEVO's video website and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox Music service. The agreement is part of a trend among digital music services trying ...

  3. Rate This App: Seenth.is Helps Organize Your Music Fandom

    August 07, 2013 8:40 PM EDT Along with the branded apps that artists use to personally disseminate news and photos, die-hard fans need to know which news outlets, blogs, Twitter accounts and Instagram users to follow in order to be completely updated on their favorite act. ...

  4. The Civil Wars Heading for No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart

    August 07, 2013 8:23 PM EDT Folk-rock duo the Civil Wars is heading for its first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart next week. Industry sources suggest the act's self-titled second album may sell around 100,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on Aug. 11. ...

  5. Backbeat: How Does Chris Thile, Mandolin Player/MacArthur Genius, Get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, Practice, Twitter, Impromptu Gig in NYC's Tompkins Square Park

    August 07, 2013 7:45 PM EDT Before he takes his recent interpretations of famed composer Johan Sebastian Bach to Carnegie Hall later this fall, mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile surprised about two dozen fans by offering to play his newest material on a bench in Tompkins Squar ...

  6. Pandora's Business Model: Is It Sustainable?

    August 07, 2013 1:45 PM EDT Subscribers read this analysis of Pandora's business model (in full below) when it first published last week via Billboard's print, online and iPad platforms. And you could have too if you subscribed to Billboard with our unmatched ...

  7. Spotify Partners with Vodafone in U.K.

    August 07, 2013 11:59 AM EDT Spotify Premium will be bundled with Vodafone upcoming 4G service in the United Kingdom to encourage customers to upgrade to the faster mobile service. Vodafone's 4G service will be available in London on August 29th and will roll out to ...

  8. Jimmy Iovine Plucks Radio Vet Julie Pilat to Head Up Curation for Beats Music

    August 07, 2013 11:09 AM EDT Julie Pilat, who spent 20 years at Clear Channel stations, joins the as-yet-unlaunched subscription service in a key role. It's "the opportunity of a lifetime," Pilat said. Jimmy Iovine's music subscription service, Beats Mu ...

  9. Pandora's Listener Hours up 2% in July, Down 16% Since March; Stocks Decline (Correction Appended)

    August 07, 2013 10:21 AM EDT Pandora's listener hours recovered by 2% July after falling in April and June, according to figures the company released Tuesday. The Internet radio service's monthly active users rose by 100,000, or 0.1%, to 71.2 million.   Investors ...

  10. Business Matters: Google-Backed Group's Report Says Search Results Not a Major Driver of Piracy

    August 06, 2013 8:56 PM EDT The Computer & Communications Industry Association has released a paper that aims to refute the RIAA's arguments that search engines play a major role in music piracy. "The Search Fixation: Infringement, Search Results and Online C ...

  11. Special Report -- The Pandora Wars: 'You Can't Be Victim to Congress and Success to Wall St.'

    August 06, 2013 12:28 PM EDT Subscribers read this  Special Report on The Pandora Wars (in full below) when it first published last week via Billboard's print, online and iPad platforms. And you could have too if you subscribed to Billboard with our unmatched music ind ...

  12. iHeartRadio Expands Into Australia, New Zealand

    August 06, 2013 7:40 AM EDT Clear Channel's iHeartRadio has opened for business in Australia and New Zealand – its first expansion move outside the United States. The Internet radio service launched Down Under in beta this week at www.iheartradio.com.au , ahead of a ...

  13. National Music Publishers Association Files Copyright Infringement Suit Against Fullscreen

    August 06, 2013 1:00 AM EDT The National Music Publishers Association. has filed a copyright infringement suit against Fullscreen Inc., a multi-channel network (MCN) operating on YouTube and largely comprised of independent artists playing cover songs allegedly without pro ...

  14. Rebeat Aims for Better Accounting in Digital Distribution

    August 05, 2013 7:57 PM EDT Can better royalty accounting lead to better digital distribution? Austrian digital distributor Rebeat thinks so.   "Digital distribution is no issue any more," Rebeat CEO Guenter Loibl tells Billboard. By that he means many companies ...

  15. Amazon.com Founder Jeff Bezos Buys Washington Post

    August 05, 2013 6:35 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) -- Jeff Bezos, the Amazon.com founder who helped bring books into the digital age, is going after another pillar of "old media": the newspaper. Bezos is buying The Washington Post and other newspapers for $250 million, ...

  16. Pulselocker, a Music Streaming and Locker Service For DJs, Announces Merlin Partnership, New Interface

    August 05, 2013 5:02 PM EDT Pulselocker, a new music subscription service aimed at working DJs (the company refers to their target demographic as "prosumers") that was launched in beta last November, has made two announcements: First, t its service will be made a ...

  17. Juke, German Music Streaming Service, Partners With Mobilcom Debitel Telecom

    August 05, 2013 2:04 PM EDT JUKE and mobilcom-debitel today announced a partnership in which the German music streaming service will now come bundled on the telecom's mobile platforms, which claim to have more than 14 million customers. As part of a bundling deal, new ...

  18. Sony Music Appoints Celine Joshua SVP Digital Sales, Scott Van Horn SVP Sales

    August 05, 2013 7:15 AM EDT Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99" LatentStyleCount="267"> UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Norma ...

  19. Black Flag Co-Founder Sues Ex-Bandmates Over Use of Punk Group's Logo, Name

    August 04, 2013 10:28 PM EDT One of punk’s most iconic band names has provoked a new lawsuit. Fans may be confused to see two different groups performing this year under the name of Hermosa Beach punk outfit Black Flag -- one fronted by founding guitarist Greg Ginn, and an ...

  20. Business Matters: ABI's Optimistic Forecast Says Music Subscriptions Will Exceed $46 Billion by 2018 (Corrected)

    August 02, 2013 10:44 PM EDT Update: ABI Research reached out to Billboard to explain that its revenue forecast for 2018 was cumulative. In other words, ABI believes subscription services will generate $46 billion of consumer spending and about $32 billion of trade value ...

  21. Five Finger Death Punch, Backstreet Boys Heading for Top 10 on Billboard 200

    August 02, 2013 8:43 PM EDT Robin Thicke is seemingly a lock to earn his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart next week, industry sources say. His latest set, "Blurred Lines," was released on July 30 and might sell between 135,000 and 140,000 copies by th ...

  22. Google In Discussions With Verizon To Bundle Google Play (Exclusive)

    August 02, 2013 1:48 PM EDT The following article is from the latest edition of Billboard, pick-up your copy here ; or subscribe here for access to Billboard via print, online and/or iPad.  In the race to win mainstream adoption, Google has been exploring a bundling dist ...

  23. U.S. Justice Department Seeks Oversight of Apple's iTunes Store Following Anti-Trust Ruling (Updated)

    August 02, 2013 12:45 PM EDT Editor's note: The following story was updated with Apple's response to the Department of Justice's remedies after it was originally published. Following a victory against Apple in an anti-trust lawsuit on July 10, the Department ...

  24. One Direction Returns to No. 1 on Social 50; Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande Hit Top 10

    August 02, 2013 12:30 PM EDT One Direction reaches the No. 1 spot for the fourth time on the Social 50 chart,  thanks to excitement generated by the debut of the group's "Best Song Ever." The Social 50 ranks the most popular artists on YouTube, Vevo, Facebook ...

  25. Bubbling Under: Radio Loves KAPTN's 'Ricky Ricardo'

    August 02, 2013 10:00 AM EDT Each Friday, Billboard presents "Bubbling Under," a weekly look at new and noteworthy acts making their way toward Billboard chart success. Up this week: KAPTN, Said The Whale, Lauren Aquilina and Forest Swords.   Los Angeles-based rap ...

  26. Chart Moves: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' Top 40 Airplay Feat, Swift and Sheeran Return

    August 02, 2013 9:15 AM EDT As previously reported, Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" holds down the No. 1 slot on the Billboard Hot 100 for an eighth week and One Direction scores its highest charting single ever, as its "Best Song Ever" debuts at No ...

  27. Chart Moves: Guns N' Roses 'Hits' Longevity Milestone, 'Pitch Perfect' Still Selling Strong

    August 02, 2013 9:00 AM EDT This week on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Selena Gomez triumphed with her first No. 1 album , as "Stars Dance" started atop the list with 97,000 sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Last week's leader, Jay Z's "Magna ...

  28. U.S. Album Sales Hit Historic Lows

    August 02, 2013 7:44 AM EDT U.S. album sales have hit new historic lows over the last five weeks marking the longest consecutive stretch in the SoundScan era that the industry has gone without scanning more than 5 million units. And, over the last two weeks, album s ...

  29. Audiam, TuneCore Co-Founders Jeff Price and Peter Wells' New Company, Raises $500K for U.S. Launch

    August 02, 2013 7:00 AM EDT Audiam, a start-up that helps artists identify and monetize user-uploaded YouTube videos that feature their music, on Friday announced it has raised $500,000 in angel financing to fuel its expansion into the U.S. market.  Investors include Scott ...

  30. YouTube To Broaden Subscription Option, Add Royalty-Free Soundtracks for Creators

    August 02, 2013 12:01 AM EDT In an effort to make its platform more useful to its top creators, YouTube on Thursday announced it will soon open its paid subscription option to more video channels and give them tools to find out more about their viewers and message them dir ...

  31. Biz Poll: Should Sony Entertainment and Universal Music Leave Their Parent Companies?

    August 01, 2013 7:16 PM EDT Over the last several months, financial propositions were made to cleave Sony Entertainment and Universal Music Group -- the world's two largest music companies  – away from their parent companies. If these proposals were ever to come to f ...

  32. Patreon Lands $2 Million in Venture Patronage

    August 01, 2013 1:45 PM EDT Just three months after launching, Patreon Inc. has landed nearly $2.1 million in financing from venture firms and angels. Freestyle Capital led the venture round, which also included investments from Charles River Ventures, Atlas Venture, Rothe ...

  33. Exclusive: Maker Studio's Epic Rap Battles Scores RIAA Gold

    August 01, 2013 1:45 PM EDT Maker Studios' "Epic Rap Battles of History" YouTube series has snagged a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America, due in large part to its online video views. The award is being bestowed to " Ba ...

  34. Turntable.fm Unveils First Attempt at Monetization

    August 01, 2013 11:50 AM EDT Social music service Turntable.fm has debuted its first attempt at monetization. Called Turntable Gold, it gives subscribers a premium level of service with features not available to other users. 
 THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN BILLBOARD MAGAZ ...

  35. Sony Returns To Quarterly Profit

    August 01, 2013 7:09 AM EDT As a slew of big-name Japanese companies report improved quarterly earnings, one theme is taking the sheen off their rosy numbers: mainstay businesses are still struggling despite the perk from a weaker yen. The latest example came Thursday from ...

  36. Robin Thicke Aiming for First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart

    July 31, 2013 8:08 PM EDT After scoring his first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Blurred Lines," Robin Thicke now has his sights set on the top slot of the Billboard 200 albums chart. The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed ...

  37. Florida Georgia Line's 'Cruise' Sets Record For Longest No. 1 Run on Hot Country Songs

    July 31, 2013 1:50 PM EDT Florida Georgia Line sets the all-time record for the most weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, as the duo's "Cruise" notches a 22nd cumulative week at the summit. With its latest week on top, the song passe ...

  38. Business Matters: Spotify's 2012 Revenues More Than Double, Net Losses Increase Indicating Workable Business Model

    July 31, 2013 1:28 PM EDT Spotify, the world's largest music subscription service, more than doubled revenue in 2012 to over $573 million. Although the company lost slightly more money than it did in 2011, there are signs its business model can be sustainable. Num ...

  39. Radio Free Song Club Helps Artists, Amasses Fans with Free Music and Performances

    July 31, 2013 1:20 PM EDT It's not a revolution – not quite yet anyway. SiriusXM has no reason to sleep with one eye open, but if things keep evolving the way they have been, Radio Free Song Club  could be one of the many spark plugs that helps restart the clunking ...

  40. Op-Ed: How India, the 'Mobile First' Continent, Can Reduce Piracy, Earn the Industry $7.8 Billion

    July 31, 2013 12:11 PM EDT Vinodh Bhat is co-founder/CEO of Indian digital music service Saavn. He’s also co-founder/principal of 212Media, a privately held venture development company. Follow him at @vbhat on Twitter. The burgeoning legal music industry in India has, thu ...

  41. Facebook Finally Surpasses Initial Public Offering Price

    July 31, 2013 10:56 AM EDT Facebook's stock has passed its $38 IPO price for the first time since its rocky public debut last May, crossing a symbolic hurdle that has eluded it for more than a year. Shares of Facebook Inc. increased 1.2 percent to $38.08 in morning t ...

  42. Chirpify Raises $4 Million In Series A Funding

    July 31, 2013 10:24 AM EDT   Social commerce service Chirpify has raised $4 million in Series A funding from previous investor Voyager Capital, Saturn Partners, Provenance Ventures and individual investors such as former Interscope Geffen A&M Vice Chairman David Cohen ...

  43. Selena Gomez Knocks Jay Z From Top of Billboard 200 With First No. 1 Album

    July 31, 2013 9:40 AM EDT This week, Selena Gomez collects her first No. 1 title on the Billboard 200 with the arrival of "Stars Dance." The Hollywood Records release sold 97,000 copies in its first week -- a career-high frame for the singer, according to Ni ...

  44. Vine Arrives: Viral Twerk Video Helps Year-Old Rap Song Rocket Up Charts

    July 30, 2013 2:42 PM EDT Twitter’s six-second videoclip app Vine had its first major hit as a promotional platform this week by helping a 15-month-old song go viral and rocket up Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs. The track, “Don’t Drop That Thun Thun,” release ...

  45. Time Warner Cable, CBS Fee Row Escalates

    July 30, 2013 5:38 AM EDT The fee dispute between Time Warner Cable and CBS Corp. took an odd turn when the cable giant announced it was turning off the broadcaster in three major cities, then quickly reversed the decision. The two sides negotiated through the day Monday ...

  46. Australian Inquiry Into Price Hikes for iTunes, Software Propose Geo-Block Ban

    July 30, 2013 2:57 AM EDT An Australian parliamentary inquiry into the high prices of digital music and software Down Under has recommended that consumers find ways to legally bypass geo-blocking technology to find a better deal. A total ban on geo-blocking hasn’t been r ...

  47. Business Matters: Misinterpreting The Size, Shape and Momentum of the Digital Music Marketplace

    July 29, 2013 7:01 PM EDT The data should create the narrative, not the other way around. A number of journalists have ignored this rule in recent weeks. If you stay current on music industry news, you may have read some articles that will give you the wrong impression a ...

  48. If AT&T Is Acquiring Muve, Why Are They Still Negotiating With Beats Music?

    July 29, 2013 1:05 PM EDT AT&T’s proposed $1.2 billion acquisition of Leap Wireless International, which includes the popular Muve Music service, doesn’t appear to be hanging up the carrier’s discussions for a distribution deal with other music services, including Be ...

  49. Muzik, Maker of Smart Headphones, Launches Today (Exclusive)

    July 29, 2013 8:00 AM EDT There are smartphones, and there are headphones  -- you can even plug one into the other -- but today sees the launch of Muzik, a company that has created what it calls the world's "first socially connected smart headphones" whi ...

  50. Biz Stock Ticks: This Week's Entertainment Indices

    July 26, 2013 8:51 PM EDT Biz Stock Ticks looks at publicly traded entertainment stock prices over the last week by Apple, Best Buy, Facebook, Google, Live Nation, Pandora, Sony, Sirius, TransWorld and Sony -- many of which this week reacted to the quarterly earnings re ...

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