It’s Monday again, and that means another batch of important information to catch up on. On this week’s Monday Reading List, Billboard.biz explains new changes to webcasting rates, Spotify considers allowing artists to withhold music from the free platform, Tesco starts selling vinyl in the UK, Paul Pacifico tells Music Business Worldwide why artists must be at the center of a new music business, and rumors swirl that the Beatles catalogue may finally be available on streaming services very soon.
The Copyright Royalty Board has announced new webcasting rates through 2020. Of course, why webcasting rates are important, who they effect, and what they mean are all common questions with complicated answers. Over at Billboard.biz, they’ve put together a great explainer about all of those questions.
Read more: Billboard.biz
Taylor Swift pulled her music from Spotify because she didn’t want it to be available via a free-tier. However, that may not be a problem for much longer. The Guardian reports that Spotify is considering allowing artists to withhold music from the free tier, which would likely appease many artists.
Read More: The Guardian
Here at Musonomics, we’re admittedly fascinated by the rise of vinyl, we even spent our entire first episode talking about it! This week, UK retailer Tesco announced that it would begin selling vinyl. The Guardian’s Bill Brewster takes a look at what that means, and who’s buying the vinyl.
Read more: The Guardian
The “value gap” is a term usually applied to the YouTube question, wherein tech platforms use safe-harbors intended for ISPs and email providers to offer music for free. However a new blog post, penned by Paul Pacifico for Music Business Worldwide, makes the point that the value gap problem can be applied across the industry.
Read more: Music Business Worldwide
Perhaps the most notorious artist catalogue that is currently MIA on streaming services is that of the Beatles, but it may not be missing for much longer. Multiple outlets are reporting rumors that the Beatles catalogue will become available on streaming services as early as Christmas.
Read more: Billboard, VentureBeat, Engadget, CoS, AV Club