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Acquisition and Growth in World of Music: Exaget Week in Review

January 22, 2015

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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

NPR One – The blueprint for mobile radio apps?

January 21, 2015

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Statistically, online radio listening is increasing year-on-year, with the biggest percentage of listeners falling in the 12-24 years of age bracket; and it’s the same story for music streaming services. As both audio platforms try to boost their listener percentage, they must look at what makes them different from their competitors. But online radio looks like it might have an advantage…

 

BURSTING AT THE SEAMS

There is no denying that the online music streaming industry is over-saturated. Just off the top of your head you would probably be able to name Spotify, Pandora, Deezer, SoundCloud and Grooveshark. And that’s just the big international players – imagine how many more, local, music streaming services there are the world over. Just last week it was announced that Tesco’s ex-music streaming service, Blinkbox Music, is to be sold to Guvera, yet another such service, hailing from Australia. French service Deezer acquired US based Muve Music to expand their music streaming footprint in America. And yet again this week we have been informed of two – yes, two – more music streaming services that we should keep our ears peeled for – Boomio and Nusiki, who both lay claims to providing users with services that are different, and better, than their competitors.

 

‘IF INSTAGRAM AND SPOTIFY HAD A KID’

Brian Hewitt, co-founder of Chicago-based Nusiki, has described this new app as ‘if Instagram and Spotify had a kid’. The secret, it seems, in launching these new apps, is in implementing small features which other apps have overlooked and making a big fuss over that. Spotify shares music too publicly? Ok, we’ll make our sharing system more controlled, as in the case of Nusiki. After all, it’s the little things that make the difference, a phrase that seems to carry a lot of weight in the world of music streaming.

Boomio’s mantra seems to be ‘sharing is caring’ as users pick a song to listen to and share, and at the end are prompted to either re-share in order to hear the next song or buy the track on iTunes. Sharing can be done to an individual, a group, or a social network.

But at the end of the day, music streaming services are limited in what they can offer to the listener when compared to the content of radio. Radio stations are of course already available on mobile phones, but they often lack that element of personalisation that such services as Spotify and Pandora offer. But what if there was an app that brought to you relevant news and stories, in bite sized chunks, from your local radio station as well as internationally, with the curation aspect of music streaming services?

Larry Rosin, president of Edison Research, has recently talked about one such app – NPR One. Dubbed ‘Public radio made personal’, it is available only in the US, although users worldwide can still download it and listen in. The app itself has many great qualities, but it’s not just good; it could well be a blue-print for future radio apps with which to take the online audio platform by storm.

 

‘PANDORA-ITISATION OF CONTENT’

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The advantages of radio are numerous and well-known. One of the oldest social mediums, it still continues to have a large relevance in people’s day-to-day lives. What NPR One does so well is offer their listeners efficiency. Up-to-date relevant news and stories, in under 5 or 10 minutes. Like the music streaming services, you can skip stories, flag your favourite, and share. But it also reminds the listener that there is a local public radio station as part of its programme, and one that needs financial support. Through this scheme the app inspires a wholesome community feel; radio really does bring people together.

Of course, NPR One only deals with news and stories; there is no music, no presenter tete-a-tete, no real-time traffic and weather updates. But all of these typical radio features could be merged with NPR One’s principal concept to create great personalised radio apps, which would have a better value to listeners than all the current numerous music streaming services which fundamentally all do the same thing, albeit in differently packaged ways.

And it’s not just broadcasters and listeners who would benefit from such apps; advertisers too could cash in by the implementation of personalised user-targeted ads.

The moral of the story? NPR One have a great mission and concept. Taken on a global scale and implemented by other radio apps, mobile radio would certainly offer much more than music streaming services – the varied content of radio, with the curated personalisation of music streaming, and adverts tailored to both listener and broadcaster. We all know that radio as a medium is still going strong, with audience figures constantly on the up, and it’s refreshing to see that younger listeners haven’t been completely sucked in by the world of streaming – at least, not in the UK. 

 

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 Going Digital

April 29, 2014

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The impact of digitally delivered media continues its rise, providing both opportunity and challenges to traditional radio broadcasters. This was confirmed by Jacobs Media’s Latest techsurvey 10.

In this survey, media habits of 11 different format core audiences listening to 199 radio stations in the U.S. & Canada, along with five generations from Boomers to Millennials, in all 37,063 were interviewed in January 2014, different patterns of consumption emerge.

Here are some of the key findings from Techsurvey10:

Core radio listeners going digital: Survey shows that three-fourths (75%) own a smartphone, while more than half (51%) carry a tablet. And now more than half (55%) stream audio at least weekly, an increase of 22% from 2013. Radio apps are popular among smartphone & tablet owners, led by Pandora (63%) & iHeart Radio (39%).

Average Listening and Platform: 95% tune in daily. Compared to a year ago, 90% say they’re listening to the same amount of radio – or more, though the number of people listening to Radio for 1 hour or less is increasing. Many respondents are now actively accessing station content on digital channels. When asked to recall their prior week’s listening to the station that sent them the survey, 17% of all broadcast radio consumption is occurring on digital channels – via computer and mobile streams, as well as on other sources. That goes up to 29% for Sports Radio. The younger the generation, the more reliance there is on digital platforms to enjoy broadcast radio.

Annoying Commercials: Gen Y and Z consumers are the top generations for mobile music streaming applications like Pandora, iHeart, iTunes, TuneIn etc. they are also the most critical of their commercials stating them to be annoying.

Connected Cars: 19% of respondents say their vehicle supports a system like Audi Connect or Ford SYNC. Similar to last year, half (50%) say the lion’s share of their radio listening takes place in cars, especially progressively younger consumers.

Social Media and Share: Of those with a social media profile, 95% are on Facebook. And of those, nearly three-fourths (73%) visit at least daily, making Facebook’s “regularity” nearly five times greater than the nearest social networks. But Generation Z indicates their Facebook engagement is waning and being replaced by more time spent on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.
In this year’s study, the percentage of those who frequently share online content via social, web, and email sources has doubled. Now more than one-third (34%) say they frequently share compelling content, a huge opportunity for great stations and personalities. Women and Millennials are most apt to profile as “serial sharers.”

Personal touch: Three in ten (30%) respondents indicate they listen more to stations that interact with them, especially women and members of both Generations Y and Z

Data collection: Radio has an opportunity to collect much-needed user data and improve, as more than seven of ten (72%) “streamies” say they’d be willing to provide basic information digitally in exchange for accessing station streams.

Best source for new music: A majority (51%) of those interested in new music designate radio as their go-to source. While Gen Z respondents are also choosing YouTube and Pandora to find out about new music and new artists, broadcast radio also leads in the areas of artist access and listener trust when it comes to music consumption.

Key Takeaways for broadcasters:

• Due to the digitisation of listening habit, radio is now not only competing with other radio but also with digital music streaming competitors.
• Broadcasters should take Social media seriously as it can be the best source to acquire digital listeners.
• Measuring the digital listeners, gathering data about their listening behaviour, platforms etc. and accordingly modifying digital strategies is a must.
• When it comes listener to loyalty and emotional connection, traditional radio has the advantage of giving that personal touch (human element) which should be utilised for maintaining relationships with their listeners.
• Digitisation of streaming gives an advantage of gathering information about the listeners such as age, gender, location etc. and this information can be used to provide the listener with relevant geo-targeted audio advertisements thus removing the annoying factor and providing best ROI for the advertisers.

If you found this interesting feel free to join our mailing list or donate a share, like or tweet. Subscribe to our newsletter to get our update into your mailbox. If you are a broadcaster, or advertiser and are interested in learning how targeted audio advertising can work for you get in touch.
Exaget Team
Twitter – @Exaget
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Exaget Week in Review: Radio listening figures, Continuity of radio and Revenue in streaming music

November 1, 2013

Radio listening figures, Continuity of radio, Revenue in streaming music

RAJAR announced 47.7 million adults or 90% of the adult (15+) UK population tuned in to their selected radio stations in the third Quarter of 2013. This is up by approximately 1 million adults on the same quarter of the previous year (Q3, 2012). The total average number of weekly hours listened to radio for this Quarter is 1.03 Billion.

“The death of radio has been foretold pretty much since its invention,” Seth Lind explains. “Especially since the invention of television. Why would you listen to radio since the invention of television? One of the main answers to that is you can do other things while you’re listening to radio.

Mark caro answers The question on Justin Roberts’ lips which summed up the angst of an ever-anxious music world: “Why would anyone want to purchase a record ever again if you can just listen to it for free?”

Here’s this week’s round up:

All radio Listening :

RAJAR releases its data for Q3,2013. 24% of adults – Have ever listened to radio via their mobile phone, up 38% Year on Year. 41% of 15-24 year old – Have ever listened to radio via their mobile phone, up 22% Year on Year.

Peripheral Vision 008: Seth Lind on why radio won’t die:

“Radio is pretty flat, but digital is growing, so I wouldn’t be surprised if, in a couple of years, it’s even. But I’ve honestly been surprised at how durable radio has been.”

Is there a revenue stream in streaming music?

“Right now we don’t have enough revenue coming into the system to show up as real money for the artists, and artists are concerned,” Friedman said. “Today it’s producing crumbs for artists and songwriters. Whether those crumbs will add up to bread in the future is the question.”

If you found this week’s update interesting feel free to join our mailing list or donate a share, like or tweet. Subscribe to our newsletter to get our update into your mailbox. If you are a broadcaster, or advertiser and are interested in learning how targeted audio advertising can work for you get in touch.
Exaget Team
Twitter – @Exaget
Facebook – Exaget