Month: November 2021

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Industry News News

Spotify Testing TikTok-Like Vertical Video Feature

Spotify Clubhouse Acquisition

The latest innovation from Spotify, the world’s most popular music streaming platform, has some users scratching their heads.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then TikTok must be feeling pretty good right now. The vertical video sharing platform has inspired virtually every major digital platform to copy its popular discovery video feed. The most glaring knockoff is Instagram Reels, which are often clips that first appeared on TikTok, but similar features exist on YouTube, Snapchat, and even Netflix. Everyone wants a piece of vertical video, it seems, and that list now includes Spotify.

Spotify has confirmed it’s currently testing a new feature in its app, Discover. It presents a vertical feed of music videos that users can scroll through and optionally like or skip. For those who have access to the feature, it appears as a fourth tab in the navigation bar at the bottom of the Spotify app, between Home and Search.

The existence of the Discover feature was first spotted by Twitter user Chris Messina, who also shared photos and videos of the new offering. 

Messina told TechCrunch he found the feature in Spotify’s TestFlight build (a beta version for iOS). A new icon in the navigation toolbar immediately brings you to the video feed when tapped. You can then swipe up and down to move through the feed like you would on TikTok. In addition to tapping the heart to like songs, you also can tap the three-dot menu to bring up the standard song information sheet, he notes.

First introduced in 2019, Canvas allows artists to add looping video clips to their music. The footage appears vertically while the song plays and can be up to 8 seconds in length. Spotify has claimed in the past that songs using Canvas have a higher engagement rate.

As a first step towards a complete embrace of video on its platform, Discover seems like a smart move for Spotify. By utilizing the existing database of Canvas clips to explore engagement opportunities and encourage more artists to add even more content to the platform, Spotify is poised to develop video features built with listener interest in mind faster than any of its competitors. The long-term plan remains unclear, but the company could eventually allow full-length videos and become something akin to a modern MTV — in addition to being the global leader in music streaming.

TechCrunch asked Spotify for further information on the feature, including whether it had plans to roll this out further, whether it was available on both iOS and Android, which markets had access to the feature, and more. The company declined to share any details about the feature but did confirm that it was exploring the idea of a vertical video feed via a statement.

“At Spotify, we routinely conduct a number of tests in an effort to improve our user experience,” a spokesperson told TechCrunch. “Some of those tests end up paving the way for our broader user experience, and others serve only as an important learning. We don’t have any further news to share at this time,” they added.

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Business Advice Editorials Industry News News

How To Support Your Favorite Artists in VR

A recent feature from the developers at ForeVR Games offers a glimpse at the many ways artists can earn money in VR.

The age of virtual reality, or VR, is finally upon us. With the introduction of consumer-friendly headsets, millions of people worldwide are spending part of their lives immersed in virtual environments that offer sights and experiences that are impossible in our reality. The so-called ‘metaverse,’ which aims to meld our existence with a virtual landscape, is becoming increasingly tangible with each passing day. That trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

But where does music fit? The music industry has barely wrapped its collective consciousness around the digital age, and now we’re confronted with another new, strange, and vaguely-defined landscape bursting with potential but limited by access and general public awareness.

The biggest opportunities in VR right now exist for a select few. Billie Eilish, for example, has a partnership with Beat Saber, one of the platform’s most popular games. That’s a great deal for someone with an already massive reach, but most artists are not in a position to negotiate similar arrangements for their catalog.

While we continue to hunt for opportunities that every artist can leverage in the virtual space, we have found two ways musicians are already able to earn revenue through VR:

ForeVR Games’ Creative Jukebox System

One developer leading the charge for change, ForeVR Games, has found a clever solution to help artists enter the VR space. In their current game, ForeVR BOWL, and the upcoming ForeVR DARTS, ForeVR Games allows users to play music from an in-game connected to YouTube. Users can stream music on YouTube while enjoying ForeVR products, and in turn, their favorite artists receive a small royalty for the play. Users can choose from pre-made playlists or browse for the perfect song.

YouTube royalties are notoriously small (about $0.008 per view), but any amount is better than nothing, which the majority of the virtual space provides.

Spotify (AKA – “the browser method”)

Spotify, the current leader in music consumption, is largely absent in VR, and the streaming giant had yet to release a native app at this post. Quest 2 users, the largest segment of the VR community, can only access Spotify through the device’s internet browser. Still, that method does allow listeners to play their favorite music inside various VR games and environments.

Same Content, Different Platform

Speaking of Youtube and Spotify, you can access virtually all browser-based music platforms through Oculus. There is also a growing community of indie VR developers making browser-based titles that leverage music, though their licensing agreements (or lack thereof) can be hard to find.

While it may seem like musicians will have an uphill battle building communities in the virtual space, it is important to remember that VR is relatively new. Virtual reality is one of the fastest-growing entertainment segments right now. Still, it will take time for developers to create apps and platforms that utilize the full capabilities of the equipment. Early adopters benefit from learning how to best use and navigate the virtual landscape before everyone else tries to jump on the bandwagon 1-2 to years from now.

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Industry News News

Spotify Launches Lyrics Feature Globally For All Users

The latest Spotify update is available now across iOS, Android, desktop, games consoles, and TVs.

Spotify has made its highly-anticipated lyrics feature available worldwide following a limited rollout earlier this year.

The lyrics are sourced from Musixmatch, which offers lyrics for “over 8 million” titles. The feature will be accessible on basically every platform where Spotify has an app. That includes iOS, Android, desktop computers, gaming consoles, and smart TVs. It is available to both free and premium listeners.

As well as using the lyrics to sing along yourself, there’s also a social element that allows you to share lyrics on social media. Spotify says the feature will be available across the “majority” of its music library.

Here’s how to access the lyrics (and share them):

On the Spotify mobile app

  • Tap on the “Now Playing View” on a song.
  • While listening, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
  • You’ll see track lyrics that scroll in real time as the song is playing!
  • To share, simply tap the “Share” button at the bottom of the lyrics screen and then select the lyrics you want to share — and where you want to share it — via third-party platforms.

On the Spotify desktop app

  • From the “Now Playing” bar, click on the microphone icon while a song is playing.
  • Voila! You’ll see track lyrics that scroll in real time while the song plays.

On the SpotifyTV app

  • Open the “Now Playing View” on a song.
  • Navigate to the right corner to the “lyrics button” and select if you want to enable Lyrics.
  • Once enabled, you’ll see the lyrics in the “Now Playing” View.

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Industry News News

How Any Artist Can Easily Improve Their Black Friday Sales

Black Friday 2021 Merch Sales Tips And Tricks

The busiest shopping season of the year is nearly here, and we have the tips you need to make this Black Friday your most successful to date!

Black Friday is coming! Are you prepared?

Everywhere you look, anyone and any company with something to sell is either teasing or already promoting holiday sales. The last six weeks of the year are the busiest for shopping, and it’s only right that you stake your claim at all the cash exchanging hands.

But there is a catch. Black Friday 2021 is unlike any before. Between consumer fears regarding the ongoing pandemic, shipping delays causing shortages in virtually every market, and rising demand for a finite amount of raw materials, this year’s shopping gold rush comes with several unique challenges. Anyone trying to adhere to the marketing and product tactics of years past is only going to all sorts of trouble, and you deserve better!

In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell explains what makes this holiday season unique for fans and artists alike. He also shares a few tips to streamline your sales, expand your short-term inventory, and build stronger relationships with fans.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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Haulix News Podcasts

Inside Music Podcast Ends After Seven Years, 237 Episodes

Inside Music is a podcast about the lives of professionals in the music business. Each week, host James Shotwell chats with an artist or industry tastemaker to learn how anyone can navigate the world of entertainment.

The first-ever Haulix podcast, Inside Music, is saying farewell after more than two hundred episodes exploring life in the modern entertainment business.

Haulix.com has announced the end of Inside Music, its first-ever podcast series. The show’s final episode featuring musical guest Rivers Of Nihil debuted online at the end of September 2021.

“Creating Inside Music was my first attempt at podcasting. I didn’t know what I was doing at the time, but thanks to patient guests and trusting leadership, we found our way to great conversations that I will always cherish.”

– James Shotwell, Inside Music host.

The Inside Music Podcast launched as a Haulix production in 2014 to help people better understand the lives of music professionals, both on stage and off. Across the show’s more than 200 episodes, guests included everyone from platinum-selling rapper Jack Harlow to iconic producer Butch Vig. Additional guests have included BABYMETAL, Celldweller, Bryan Garris (Knocked Loose), Tilian Pearson (Dance Gavin Dance), Phil Bozeman (Whitechapel), among hundreds more.

A full statement from the Inside Music Podcast team reads as follows:

Inside Music began as a desire to see what was possible with the podcasting medium. Over seven years and hundreds of conversations, you helped us build a tiny community of curious music consumers that kept us passionate about our creation.

It is hard to pinpoint when we knew it was time for the show to end, but we believe some things in life you just know. We wrestled with whether or not to push for another milestone. After all, episode 250 or 300 isn’t that far away, but we can’t convince ourselves to create something we’ve internally laid to rest. 

Don’t worry, however, because we have many more wonderful productions on the horizon. You can currently hear our team’s collaborative efforts on High Notes, the music industry’s leading recovery podcast. We have additional programming planned for 2022, but we can’t talk about it yet.

To everyone who ever gave us an hour of conversation or thirty seconds of listening—thank you. We will never forget this time in our lives, and thanks to the internet, the show will live on. Every episode will be available to stream anywhere you get podcasts for as long as possible. 

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Industry News News

The Music Industry ‘Holiday Slowdown’ is Fast Approaching [Video]

The end of the year is a weird time for music professionals, but we’ll explain what you can expect in the latest Music Biz update.

With Thanksgiving nearly here and countless ‘Best Of’ lists not far behind, 2021 is coming to an end. Soon there will be holiday shows, an appearance from Santa, holiday sales, and one or two crazy reunion gigs that happen just before the ball drop at midnight on January 1, 2022. A new year will then begin, and what comes next is anyone’s guess. Will it be better than the last two? We have to hope, right?

November and December are strange times for music professionals, but good as well. Every year, from the week of Thanksgiving through the beginning of January, the industry experiences what many people call ‘the industry slowdown.’ During this time, offices begin to close, unimportant emails get ignored, and professionals everywhere do the one thing they rarely do: Take time off.

Yes, the industry slowdown is an unspoken agreement amongst the biggest names in music that provides space for reflection and relaxation before another busy year begins. It is a cherished tradition that continues in the digital age despite consumers’ constant demand for fresh content and ideas. We at Haulix take it very seriously, and many of our peers do as well. We’ll let Music Biz host James Shotwell explain the rest:

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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Industry News News

NIVA Issues Statement In Response to Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremonies

After receiving recognition for helping venues survive, NIVA has responded to the kind words from Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame CEO Greg Harris.

To kick off the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony this weekend, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum CEO Greg Harris started the evening by recognizing and thanking the National Independent Venue Association for spearheading and securing $16 billion in emergency federal relief, stating, “During the darkest days of the pandemic the leaders of the National Independent Venue Association worked tirelessly to secure federal support for clubs, venues, and museums. And because of your great work, Congress passed the Save Our Stages Act. It was a lifeline to this industry, and those leaders are with us here tonight. Join me in thanking them: NIVA.”  

NIVA members from more than 30 states came for the Induction Ceremonies, most meeting for the very first time, though they started working together in April 2020 in the effort to save the industry. Known as Precinct Captains, these NIVA members indefatigably organized advocacy outreach to Congress so elected officials would know the devastating effects the shutdowns were having on independent venues, promoters, and festivals.

Sean Watterson, owner of the Happy Dog in Cleveland and a NIVA Precinct Captain, led the initiative in Ohio to lobby for emergency relief. He closely collaborated with Greg Harris of the Rock Hall to include artists’ voices to #SaveOurStages effort. Watterson said, “I’m incredibly grateful to Greg and his team for inviting NIVA’s Precinct Captains to Cleveland, and for recognizing the importance of even the smallest of stages from the biggest stage of all: the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony!”

NIVA Board President and CEO of First Avenue Productions, Dayna Frank said, “It’s a huge honor for NIVA, and all independent venues across the country, to receive this recognition from The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They understand the eco-system of live entertainment, and the role independent venues play as pillars in our communities and as the launching-pads for artists’ careers.”

ABOUT NIVA:

Formed at the onset of the COVID-19 shutdown, National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), created and led the #SaveOurStages campaign, resulting in landmark legislation establishing the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program administered by the Small Business Administration. NIVA’s mission is to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live venues, promoters, and festivals throughout the United States. The National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF) was founded to further this mission by also seeking to support a transparent, competitive marketplace serving a diverse and inclusive community of artists, fans, and industry workers. NIVA is committed to equity in its support and advocacy for independent venues, and seeks to create and encourage opportunities for venues, promoters, and festivals owned, operated, and staffed by people of color, women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, veterans, and people with disabilities.

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