Acquisition and Growth in World of Music: Exaget Week in Review
Our last Week in Review looked at the turning of the tide for online music streaming services, as two more companies entered the fray; but radio still remains as the go-to-place for new music discovery.
This week we’re looking at growth and acquisition, as some of our favourite and well-known companies acquire new investments and businesses in a continual bid to grow and keep up with the ever-changing times of the music streaming industry.
Shazam valued at $1 billion after new funding round
Music-identifying app Shazam has this week been valued at an impressive $1 billion following a recent acquisition of a $30 million investment. The company has stated that they are looking to use this investment to expand into new ‘market sectors’ – notably marketing and advertising. Shazam have not disclosed who is behind the investment, but with this new acquisition it will be interesting to watch in what direction they will grow.
Apple buys music analytics service Musicmetric
As part of its plan to relaunch Beats Music, Apple’s music streaming service, later this year, the American music giant has acquired British start-up Semetric, who operate Musicmetric; an analytics dashboard that tracks data on sales for music labels. And although Apple are not stating their exact reasons for acquiring Semetric, it can be surmised that Musicmetric’s dashboard will become Apple’s in-house tool for tracking sales and streams within iTunes.
Streamus: A Google Chrome extension that undermines Google’s streaming business
The verdict may still be out for Streamus. Digital natives and those who resist paying for on-demand music will love this Google Chrome browser extension which ‘turns YouTube into the music player you always wanted’. It annihilates the video – thereby improving stream performance – and it also does not contain any adverts – so no opportunities for advertisers there. Essentially a better version of YouTube, and a Chrome extension that goes against Google’s streaming business – the reception that it will receive is certainly worth keeping an eye out for.
If you are interested in becoming a broadcasting partner, or would like to know what our integrating technology can do for you, contact our Partnership Account Manager Matthew Layton – matthew.layton@exaget.com or +447533517396
If you are interested in advertising opportunities, please contact the CEO of Exaget, Shankar Meembat –shankar.meembat@exaget.com or +447411130680
Radio Round-Up: Exaget Week in Review
February 12, 2015
Last week we dedicated our Week in Review to the Super Bowl and its (lack of) digital advertising.
This week, it’s the turn of the radio industry, as we look at some station changes, new faces, and a transformation to the UK’s Official Albums Chart that reflects changing listening habits.
Read all about it:
TalkSport founder in bid to launch rival station
Kelvin MacKenzie, founder of TalkSport radio, has decided that it’s about time that his original founding station, which was sold to UTV for £98m a decade ago, had a competitor – and one that he would create himself. MacKenzie’s new station, called Sports Radio, is part of a Listen2Digital bid to run a second national commercial multiplex. If Listen2Digital wins their license, Sports Radio would be due for launch in January next year. MacKenzie was quoted saying, ‘It’s been clear to me for some time that there’s room for another player in the sports radio market. In capitalism, when there’s one there should be two.’
Streaming to be included in Albums Chart
Switching on the radio on Sunday afternoons to listen to the latest Albums Chart was as important a social gathering as the Sunday roast. But these days, it’s out with the CDs and cassettes and in with audio streams. For the first time, as of next month, audio streams will count towards the Official Album Charts, with data hailing from Spotify, Deezer, Napster, Google Play, O2 Tracks, Rdio and Xbox Music – all those music streaming services that we are being inundated with. Downloads and CD sales will still count; but the way audiences consume music nowadays is changing drastically, and with CD sales on the decrease while audio streaming steadily rises in popularity, it’s time that one of the UK’s institutional radio listening habits got a bit of a revamp.
Panjab Radio joining Bradford and Huddersfield
The Bradford and Huddersfield multiplex will be getting two new stations on board in the next couple of weeks – Asian radio stations Panjab Radio and Asian Sound Radio. Panjab Radio will be reaching its audiences on DAB across Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton, broadcasting in Panjabi and English languages. Asian Sound Radio, meanwhile, is set to expand its East Lancashire service in the next two months.
Tom Russell joins RockSport
RockSport DAB Radio station is all about just that – rock music and sport. (And, if we may do a bit of showing off, they’re one of our broadcasting partners too). Following their rebrand from Eklipse Sport Radio earlier in January, they will now be joined by former XFM, Real XS and Radio Clyde presenter – Tom Russell. He’ll be hosting the weekend mid-mornings, so be sure to tune in for your dose of sports talk and rock’n’roll.
If you are interested in becoming a broadcasting partner, or would like to know what our integrating technology can do for you, contact our Partnership Account Manager Matthew Layton – matthew.layton@exaget.com or +447533517396
If you are interested in advertising opportunities, please contact the CEO of Exaget, Shankar Meembat –shankar.meembat@exaget.com or +447411130680