Category: Music

Spotify Reports Strong Second Quarter Results for 2023 – Financials

Spotify, the world’s leading music streaming service, today announced strong financial results for the second quarter of 2023. The company’s revenue grew 11% year-over-year to €3.2 billion, and its monthly active users (MAUs) grew 27% to 551 million. Spotify’s premium subscribers grew 17% to 220 million, and its advertising revenue grew 30% to €243 million.

Spotify’s CEO, Daniel Ek, said that the company is “very pleased” with its second quarter results. He attributed the company’s growth to its “strong global expansion,” its “continued focus on innovation,” and its “growing partnerships with the music industry.”

Ek also said that Spotify is “well-positioned for continued growth in the years to come.” He pointed to the company’s “large and growing user base,” its “strong financial position,” and its “continued investment in innovation” as reasons for his optimism.

Spotify’s results come at a time when the music streaming industry is booming. In 2022, the global music streaming market was worth an estimated $25.6 billion. This is up from just $7.3 billion in 2015. The growth of the music streaming industry is being driven by a number of factors, including the increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets, the growing availability of high-speed internet, and the rising cost of traditional music formats, such as CDs and vinyl.

Spotify is one of the leading players in the music streaming industry. The company has a significant market share in both developed and emerging markets. Spotify is also one of the most innovative companies in the industry. The company has been at the forefront of developing new features, such as personalized playlists and podcasts.

Spotify’s strong financial results and its leading position in the music streaming industry suggest that the company is well-positioned for continued growth in the years to come.

Here are some additional details from the article:

  • Spotify’s adjusted gross margin was 25.5% in the second quarter, which was in line with guidance.
  • Spotify’s adjusted operating loss was €112 million in the second quarter, which was better than guidance.
  • Spotify’s free cash flow was €143 million in the second quarter, which was its highest ever quarterly free cash flow.

Spotify’s management team is optimistic about the company’s future. They said that they expect Spotify to continue to grow its user base and revenue in the years to come. They also said that they are committed to investing in innovation and partnerships with the music industry.thumb_upthumb_downtuneshareGoogle it

Deezer Relaunches Their Automotive App – Listen to Your Music on the Go!

Deezer, the global music streaming platform, today announced the launch of its new automotive app. The app is available in cars with Google built-in and cars with the automotive app store Faurecia Aptoide.

The Deezer automotive app offers a number of features designed to make it easy for drivers and passengers to enjoy their music while on the go. These features include:

  • A personalized Flow of recommendations based on the user’s listening history and preferences.
  • The ability to create and save custom playlists.
  • Voice control so that drivers can keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
  • The ability to stream music in high quality.

The Deezer automotive app is available now in select markets. To learn more, please visit the Deezer website.

Here’s a more detailed explanation of some of the features of the Deezer automotive app:

  • Personalized Flow: The Personalized Flow is a never-ending mix of music that is tailored to the user’s listening history and preferences. The Flow is updated regularly with new music, so users are always discovering new songs and artists.
  • Custom playlists: Users can create and save custom playlists of their favorite music. This makes it easy to listen to specific genres, moods, or artists.
  • Voice control: The Deezer automotive app can be controlled by voice. This means that drivers can keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel while still enjoying their music.
  • High quality streaming: The Deezer automotive app streams music in high quality. This means that users can enjoy their music in the best possible sound quality.

The Deezer automotive app is a great way for drivers and passengers to enjoy their music on the go. The app offers a number of features that make it easy to find and listen to the music you love.

What are the Largest Music Streaming Services in Japan with Market Share Numbers

Here are the top 5 largest music streaming services in Japan with their market share numbers:

ServiceMarket Share (2022)
Spotify24.1%
Apple Music21.5%
Amazon Music Unlimited15.5%
LINE Music13.1%
AWA10.2%

As you can see, Spotify and Apple Music are the two leading music streaming services in Japan, with a combined market share of 45.6%. Amazon Music Unlimited is the third-largest service, followed by LINE Music and AWA.

It is worth noting that the Japanese music streaming market is still relatively young, and the landscape is constantly changing. In recent years, there has been a growing number of domestic music streaming services entering the market, such as LINE Music and AWA. These services are targeting Japanese listeners with exclusive content and features, and they are slowly gaining market share.

It will be interesting to see how the Japanese music streaming market evolves in the coming years. With the increasing popularity of streaming, it is likely that the market will continue to grow. However, it is also likely that the market will become more fragmented, as more and more domestic services enter the fray.

Browser Based Shazam – Chrome Extension – Identify Songs on Websites

A long time ago I wrote about Shazam and how they stopped producing the software as a Windows app.

Today I have come across the updated Shazam Chrome Extension.

Its available here in the Chrome app store – and already has over 3 million+ users.

No long will you come across a website and hear a track playing in the background and not know who released that track.

What is IMDB for the Music Industry?

Over the years there have been a lot of companies try to build IMDB for the music industry. However, none have been able to get to scale.

I have a theory behind this…

IMDB is all about movies – in which is long form content and the audience spend at least a few hours of their life focused on watching something – for either entertainment or educational purposes. Spending that amount of time watching one thing – means the customer is willing to really dedicate time into it.

Music is the opposite.

Music is short form content that is consumed in a matter of minutes and then the consumer moves onto the next one. As technology improves and artists now have the ability to distribute their music to streaming services via distributors (like RouteNote) – it means there is also more music being created now than ever before. This type of content means that the customer isn’t as engaged or consumed by the content. Thus, not willing to spend a great deal of time to research about the music they are consuming.

We built Tunedex (via RouteNote) to help solve this problem for music, but we have since realised that this isn’t really a problem.

DistroKid’s Pricing Structure and How It Doesn’t Align with Independent Artists

DistroKid is a popular music distribution service that allows independent artists to release their music on various online platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and more. However, many artists have expressed frustration with DistroKid’s pricing structure and how it doesn’t align with the needs of independent artists.

DistroKid’s pricing structure is based on a yearly subscription fee, which ranges from $19.99 to $79.99 per year, depending on the plan chosen. While this may seem reasonable at first glance, it becomes problematic for artists who release a lot of music. For instance, an artist who releases a single every month would have to pay $239.88 per year just to distribute their music. This cost doesn’t include additional fees for services like YouTube monetization or Shazam verification.

Moreover, DistroKid charges an additional fee for each release an artist makes. While the first release is included in the subscription fee, subsequent releases cost $4.95 each. For artists who release multiple singles or albums per year, this can quickly add up and become a significant financial burden.

Another issue with DistroKid’s pricing structure is that it doesn’t offer any flexibility for artists. For instance, an artist who releases only one or two songs per year still has to pay the same subscription fee as an artist who releases multiple albums. This lack of flexibility makes the service less accessible to independent artists who are just starting their careers and may not have a lot of income.

Furthermore, DistroKid’s pricing structure doesn’t align with the revenue streams that independent artists rely on. For instance, streaming services like Spotify pay artists based on the number of streams their music receives. However, DistroKid’s pricing structure is based on a fixed subscription fee, which means that independent artists may not be able to recoup their costs if their music doesn’t receive a lot of streams.

In conclusion, DistroKid’s pricing structure doesn’t align with the needs and realities of independent artists. While the service may be useful for some artists, it can quickly become a financial burden for those who release a lot of music or who are just starting their careers. Independent artists should explore other distribution services that offer more flexibility and better align with their revenue streams.

How do I Add or Remove Songs from RouteNote?

Adding Songs to RouteNote

To add your songs to RouteNote, you first need to create an account on their website. Once you have an account, you can log in and go to the dashboard. From there, you will see an option to “Create New Release.” Click on that and fill in the necessary details like the album or single name, artist name, and release date. Then, you can upload your music files and artwork. After that, you will need to select the streaming services you want your music to be distributed to. RouteNote offers both free and paid options, so choose the one that suits your needs. Once you have completed all the steps, RouteNote will review your release, and if everything is in order, they will distribute your music to the selected services.

Removing Songs from RouteNote

If you want to remove your songs from RouteNote, you can do so by going to your dashboard and selecting the option to contact the support team. The support team will do all the heavy lifting and you simply need to email them and ask them to remove the releases in question.

Financials and Multiples on the Believe Digital and Sentric Music Publishing Deal

This morning we posted about Believe Digital acquiring Sentric Music Publishing.

I wanted to provide a little more context about the acquisition.

Sentric – Companies House accounts – https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/05721428/filing-history

2021 Year End Numbers:

  • £29.5m Revenue (up 57% YOY)
  • £24.2m COGS
  • £4.8m GP (8.5x multiple to value)
  • £1.2m NP (34x multiple to value)

Acquisition price was $51 million.

It feels like this was a good price on both counts. Utopia obviously sold Sentric at a discount, but they really need to get rid of the asset (they only purchased a year ago). Believe got a good asset in a new market – at a reasonable multiple.

Believe Digital Acquires Sentric Music Publishing from Utopia Music for $51 million

Believe Digital has acquired music publishing company Sentric for $51 million from Utopia Music.

This is a great move from Believe – and as Utopia have been in a lot of issues with debt recently – it feels like a bit of a fire sale.

“The acquisition of SENTRIC is the first step for BELIEVE in the roll-out of a global and comprehensive publishing offer. The growth and digital transformation of the songwriters’ market is opening-up many opportunities. We are excited to be able to immediately expand the services we provide to our existing TUNECORE clients with SENTRIC’s best-in-class royalty collection service, while starting to work on future innovative products and services for all of Believe’s songwriters and publishers.”

BELIEVE CEO DENIS LADEGAILLERIE said,

Believe is currently looking for more acquisitions – they normally focus around record labels, but this put Believe into a completely new market with a strong TAM.

Uncovering the Hidden Fees of Distrokid

Many musicians are signing up for DistroKid’s music distribution service, but they may not be aware of all the hidden fees that can be charged. This post will explore DistroKid’s hidden fees, explaining what they charge and how to avoid paying too much.

What hidden fees does DistroKid charge?

DistroKid charges an annual fee for the use of their service. This fee specified on their website is $19.99. However, many users don’t realize there is an additional fee for each album or song they upload. This fee is $9.99 per album and $0.99 per song. If an artist is uploading many albums or songs, these fees can add up quickly.

What other hidden charges are there?

In addition to the annual fee and per album/song fee, DistroKid also charges a processing fee of $1 per album/song. This fee is charged each time an album or song is uploaded, so costs can add up quickly if musicians are uploading a lot.

There is also a $2.99 fee for sharing an album or song with a friend. This fee is charged each time a user shares a song or album with someone, so costs can add up quickly.

DistroKid offers a useful music distribution service for musicians, but it’s important to be aware of the hidden fees they charge. Understanding these fees can help musicians avoid paying too much for the use of DistroKid.

Outertone Chill – Amazing Chillout Music to Help Relax, Focus on General Background

Over the past 3 months or so we have been running a new YouTube project at RouteNote called Outertone Chill.

The channel is dedicated to Chillout music of all kinds of genres.

The aim of the project to sign and create amazing chillout tracks that can help people relax day to day, focus, or just general background music for their day at work.

If you get a chance please take a look at the channel and it would be great to hear your feedback.

Kobalt Sells to Francisco Partners (Private Equity) – Loss for Independent Music Industry

It was announced a few days ago that Kobalt has sold to private equity firm – Francisco Partners.

The acquisition was price around $750 million and Francisco Partners acquired 90% of Kobalt. The remaining 10% will be split between Matt Pincus’s MUSIC, plus Dundee Partners and also Willard Ahdritz (founder of Kobalt). (Pincus will join the Board of Kobalt post the deal closing.)

Kobalt has always been the poster child of the independent music industry for music publishing rights. It’s a huge shame to see them sell to private equity instead of trying to push on further and remain an independent firm.

Over time it will be interesting to see if Francisco Partners decides to hold on to Kobalt or look to further offload the assets as they appreciate in value.

Either way… Kobalt has had amazing success over the years and its great to see them in a position where they could potentially grow even further.

p.s. Im very bullish on AMRA

Beggars Music Group Financials for 2021 – Revenues up 29.7% Year on Year

Beggars Music Group had a strong 2021 (as they have just released their numbers in a filing on UK Companies House).

Beggars Group generated GBP 79.98 million in 2021 – which was up 29.7% year on year.

This figure includes Beggars’ share of various joint venture businesses including XL Recordings, Matador and Rough Trade, in each of which Beggars owns 50%.

Beggars is a huge player in independent music market and it’s great to see that they are still growing strong and getting a strong slice of the market.

Apple Acquires Classical Music Streaming Service – Primephonic – Dedicated Classical Music App Coming Soon from Apple

Apple has announced that they have acquired Primephonic, the classical music streaming service.

Apple Music now plans to launch a dedicated classical music app new year combining Primephonic’s classical user interface with more added features. It will be interesting to see if Apple are able to take Primephonic to a more mainstream audience – and how will this dedicated app be differentiated from the standard Apple Music app, which obviously includes the classical music found in Primephonic and far more.

Primephonic is no longer available for new subscribers and will be taken offline beginning September 7.

Apple says that, when it launches, its new dedicated Apple Music Classical experience will offer “the best features of Primephonic, including better browsing and search capabilities by composer and by repertoire, detailed displays of classical music metadata, plus new features and benefits”.

In the meantime, current Primephonic subscribers will receive six months of Apple Music for free, including its library of Lossless and high-resolution audio, as well as hundreds of classical albums in Apple Music’s Spatial Audio.

Synchedin – Music for All Creators – Unlimited Music for Your Videos

Creators are always looking for great music – that’s why we created Synchedin! But Synchedin also allows the musicians to finally get a strong revenue share from a licensing service!

The music is fully controlled by Synchedin and is completely safe to use across social media, etc, globally.

For only $4.99 per monthly – creators now have an amazing choice of great tracks and the catalogue is growing daily.

Will I get a copyright strike if I submit my song to RouteNote or CDbaby after I upload it to my YouTube channel?

No.

Within these platforms you should be able to whitelist your artist channel or even have your artist channel in their Networks.

In some cases you might be claimed, but all you need to do is to dispute the claims or talk with the support teams at these services and the claim will get removed immediately.

Amuse.io – Do They Pay Musicians / Artists More Money Than Competitors?

The short answer is = NO.

Amuse claim that they pay artists / musicians more money than their competitors – but this is a completely FALSE claim.

The major record labels and the lead music distributors all have the same revenue share with Spotify, Apple Music and other DSPs. There is NO way that a small distributor such as Amuse would have a higher revenue share than the major record labels!

It’s getting a little bit tired that there are a lot of companies out there making completely false claims knowing they can’t be challenged.