Bits & Bytes 6/22

INFLUENCING EMERGING MUSIC TECH CULTURE

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THIS WEEK IN MUSIC x TECH

JUNE 22, 2015

Welcome Summer! And thank you Taylor. Over the weekend, Taylor Swift took a stand against Apple, asking them to pay musicians during their controversial trial period. In a true testament to Taylor’s clout and vision, Apple SVP personally called Taylor to discuss the policy change. In the end, Taylor won: Apple is going back on their original plans, and now plans to pay artists during their 90-day free trial.Even now that Apple is over this initial controversy, I’m still left wondering whether this sort of streaming service can work. Consumers are already used to getting music for free, so is it too late for them to go back to paying? Labels and streaming services certainly want a paid model to work, but is that really what’s best for the fans? Even some of the industry powerhouses seem to be worrying. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek just claimed that he would rather fold his company than get rid of Spotify’s free streaming tier. Even if it isn’t the most lucrative model, I think Ek still is getting the right idea with his support of Spotify’s freemium services.  Personally, I would love to see a world where music is as accessible as possible, even if that means it has to be given away for free.

It'll be interesting see if Apple burns up over this summer, or will they melt with all the pressure? This will be a big tell in what the future of the industry looks like. -Jesse K // CEO, NUE Agency

Taylor Swift's open letter to Apple protesting it should pay for its 3 month free trial made big waves this weekend and turns out her voice was the loudest. Apple's Eddy Cue swiftly announced a u-turn on Apple's free trial pay outs and this is just one more twist in the much bigger streaming story. It certainly highlights some interesting dynamics, not least of which is how Swift's worldview differs from many of her contemporaries.  

The music festival industry has become a big, and crowded, business. And promoters are looking for new ways to distinguish themselves. It's certainly not just about music anymore.

Engagement with brand content soared 52% last quarter. Far from growing sick of brand content, people are increasing clicks faster than marketers pump it out. Here's what you need to know. 

All in one place, here's where you can see what tech companies are being funded - today! It's updated as the day unfolds and you can get updates straight to your email. Pretty cool discovery tool! 

Music trials that would not involve any royalty payments have questions remaining about Apple's growing role as a content platform - even after they reversed course yesterday. 

Rome Fortune has launched a free app, simply called Rome Fortune. It allows users to chat directly with Fortune, download his songs, purchase his merch, watch videos, and more! 

Let's discuss the side of Taylor Swift's Apple slam that no one's talking about. Reversing their decision is good business for Apple, but it's certainly not a win for the little guy.