Streaming Wars

If Apple wanted to offer exclusive music, they would cut a deal with Taylor Swift. They have the cash to do it. They wouldn’t waste time on locking up Kalevi Aho. That’s so obvious I shouldn’t even have to say it, but (given all the smoke and mirrors here), I really do.

So we’re clearly dealing with the bad Apple here. And the fact that the company... See more

Concerns about the commercial data that comes through all these distribution, royalty and other essential services are also growing. Not only does it allow you to snaffle up a rising star, it would be one of the most sophisticated and complete webs of price tracking your rivals imaginable in the music market. And no regulator wants to rely on... See more

Walt Disney Co. just surpassed Netflix in total streaming subs (221.1m vs. 220.7m). And it did so in less than 3 years since launching Disney+. How? By combining great content with a technology it acquired from the MLB (yes, Major League Baseball) for $2.6B. Here’s the story🧵

Goldman Sachs’ latest Music In The Air report is forecasting that the “superfan” market could be worth $4.3bn globally next year. The subtext here is that this needs to become a priority focus for the music business as recorded music revenues actually fell short of Goldman Sachs’ expectations in 2024, causing it to downgrade its forecasts for this... See more