Marketplace

Spotify now has half a million video podcasts, which nearly 400M users have watched

In its third-quarter earnings report, the company shared that its video podcast catalog has expanded to nearly half a million shows, and more than 390 million users have now streamed a video podcast on the platform. That figure is up 54% year-over-year, and it also reflects Spotify’s increased investment in the format. In June 2024, the company said it had some 250,000 video podcasts as it rolled out tools that let non-hosted podcasters upload their videos to the platform.

Source: Spotify now has half a million video podcasts, which nearly 400M users have watched | TechCrunch

Australia Moves Ahead With Streamer Quotas to Boost Local Storytelling

Australia has finally pulled the trigger on long-mooted streaming quotas, confirming a landmark bill that will compel streaming platforms to invest a fixed share of their Australian revenue or expenditure into homegrown programming. The bill, to be introduced this week, will require major streamers to allocate roughly 10% of their Australian expenditure or 7.5% of local revenue to Australian drama, documentary, children’s and cultural programming.

Source: Australia Moves Ahead With Streamer Quotas to Boost Local Storytelling

AI against the arts

Already, we are seeing the use of AI, with all its negative ramifications for writers, painters, photographers, and musicians, being endorsed because it means that ‘everyone can be an artist’, or, as ACE would have it, a ‘creative practitioner’. This is likely to converge in future with another recent intellectual position, which contends that meritocracy – hitherto regarded as the only way of championing fairness – is itself unfair.

Source: AI against the arts

Bandsintown launches Marketplace to connect artists with distribution, data, and merch tools

Bandsintown introduced a new marketplace that links its 700,000 independent artists with third-party services for music distribution, fan data management, and merchandise sales, among others. The move comes as the New York-based company has reached 100 million registered users and seeks to help independent musicians navigate what it describes as “unpredictable algorithms” and help them avoid “overreliance on paid advertising.”

Source: After hitting 100m registered users, Bandsintown launches Marketplace to connect 700K artists with distribution, data, and merch tools

The music industry remains divided on generative AI. Where will that leave us?

The most notable differences in AI strategies are between the major labels and independents. While the majors are working to find solutions that allow for responsible Gen AI use and drive new licensing revenue, many independent artists and smaller labels are firmly against any use of Gen AI in music.  However, there are divides even within these factions.

Source: The music industry remains divided on generative AI. Where will that leave us?

OpenAI, valued at $500bn, reportedly working on generative AI music tool

OpenAI is planning to enter the generative AI music space, according to a report at The Information, which says the company is working on a tool that can create music from text or audio prompts. That would bring OpenAI into an increasingly crowded field of AI music generation platforms, which include Suno and Udio – notorious within the music industry for having been sued by the record majors for alleged widespread copyright infringement in training its AI.

Source: OpenAI, valued at $500bn, reportedly working on generative AI music tool

Spotify raises UK and Switzerland Premium prices as analysts see US hike by early 2026

Spotify is raising subscription prices in the UK for the second time in 18 months. The company is also increasing the price of its Premium plans in Switzerland. In the UK, the music streaming giant will be increasing its Premium individual monthly plan to £12.99from £11.99. The 8.3% increase marks the second time in 18 months that the company has raised UK prices by £1. The previous adjustment took effect in April 2024.

Source: Spotify raises UK and Switzerland Premium prices again as analysts see US hike by early 2026

AI companies steal publisher traffic then undermine trust by getting answers wrong

Research points to a generally corrosive impact of AI answer engines on the news ecosystem, getting answers wrong and undermining trust. It found that the likes of Perplexity and Google AI Overviews are stealing publisher traffic but also contributing to declining trust in the news industry by giving distorted answers. The research concludes: “If AI assistants are not yet a reliable way to access the news, but many consumers trust them to be accurate, we have a problem.”

Source: AI companies steal publisher traffic then undermine trust by getting answers wrong

WGA Says Warner Bros. Merger Would Be a ‘Disaster’ for Writers

The Writers Guild of America came out swinging on Thursday against a merger between Warner Bros. and any other studio, saying such consolidation would be a “disaster” for writers. “Merger after merger in the media industry has harmed workers, diminished competition and free speech, and wasted hundreds of billions of dollars better invested in organic growth,” the WGA East and West said in a statement Thursday.

Source: WGA Says Warner Bros. Merger Would Be a ‘Disaster’ for Writers

YouTube paid out $8B to the music industry in 12 months

YouTube has paid more than $8 billion to the music industry in the 12 months between July 2024 and July 2025, the company announced on Thursday. “Today’s $8 billion payout is a testament to the fact that the twin engine of ads and subscriptions is firing on all cylinders,” said YouTube’s Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen in a statement.

Source: YouTube paid out $8B to the music industry in 12 months | TechCrunch

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