Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is arguably a metaphor for the dangers of the industrial revolution; a hideous monster brought to life by human tampering with, and mastery of, nature. But in our digital age – which some have dubbed the fourth industrial revolution – what is there left to be tampered with? And what dreadful powers could be unleashed by shaking up the world order?
November, 2021
Record labels really, really don’t like a new Bill that would change how artists get paid in the UK
Record companies, both majors and indies, are up in arms over suggestions from a British politician that signed artists should see a portion of their UK streaming royalties bypass the label system entirely, and be paid to performers directly via a collection society.
Podcast and Audiobook Platform Podimo Completes $78 Million Series B
Podimo – which offers podcasters the choice of exclusive and non-exclusive distribution – intends to put this latest capital influx towards expanding its market presence, founder and CEO Morten Strunge indicated in a statement. Moreover, Strunge, the founder of e-book and audiobook subscription service Mofibo, likewise emphasized his ambitious vision for (non-music) audio entertainment’s growth potential.
Source: Podcast and Audiobook Platform Podimo Completes $78M Series B
Facebook Paying Musicians Up to $50,000 for Live Audio Performances
Back in July, CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised that his company would establish a $1 billion creator fund to pay talent through 2022. Now a new report from The Information details how some of that money is being spent. Facebook is paying musicians up to $50,000 to use Live Audio Rooms.
Source: Facing Paying Musicians Up to $50,000 for Live Audio Performances
Spotify tests a TikTok-like vertical video feed in its app
The company has confirmed it’s currently testing a new feature in its app, Discover, which presents a vertical feed of music videos that users can scroll through and optionally like or skip. For those who have access to the feature, it appears as a fourth tab in the navigation bar at the bottom of the Spotify app, in between Home and Search.
Source: Spotify tests a TikTok-like vertical video feed in its app
Disney Plans to Spend $33B on Content Next Year
According to the company’s annual report, which was filed with the SEC Wednesday afternoon, Disney plans to spend approximately $33 billion on content over the next year, inclusive of its streaming programming, linear programming, and sports content.
How Music Created Silicon Valley
In each key area of technology—semiconductors, storage, handheld devices, video displays, test equipment, etc.—funds to launch and grow the tech titans came from the entertainment industry, and especially the music business. Hollywood studios and record labels would dominate high tech today if they had simply brought R&D in-house instead of sending so much cash to Northern California.
Source: How Music Created Silicon Valley
Epic Games buys Rockband developer Harmonix
Epic Games, the maker of hit video game Fortnite and Unreal Engine, has acquired Harmonix, creator of the popular Rock Band and Dance Central franchises for an undisclosed sum. The buyout of the Boston-based music-related game studio Harmonix follows a period of successful fraternization with the music industry for Epic.
Artists fear copyright laws lag in an increasingly digital world
Source: Artists fear copyright laws lag in an increasingly digital world
Polka-dotted Crocs and the war over copyrights in NFT art
In August, a digital artist who closely guards his personal identity, going only by the online alias “loafgren,” did what the masters of his trade do best. He stole. Loafgren slapped a copy of “polka dots,” a famous work by Damien Hirst, one of the world’s most prominent artists, on a digital image of a pair of Crocs.
Source: Polka-dotted Crocs and the war over copyrights in NFT art