Analysis News Spotify’s global user base grew faster last year than it did in 2017 Monthly active users jumped 43m in 2018 – but subscriber growth is more complicated
News TIDAL ‘fake streams’: Criminal investigation underway over potential data fraud in Norway Norway's National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime opens investigation
News Spotify’s global monthly active users top 200m, up by 20m in the past six months "We're about two times bigger than anyone else."
News Is Liberty Media about to buy into talent agency CAA? Report suggests that multi-media corporation is in discussions with Kanye West's rep
News Official: Guy Moot and Carianne Marshall to take charge of Warner/Chappell Music British executive Moot takes CEO job at world's third-biggest music publisher
Analysis Daniel Ek wasn’t lying: streaming is becoming less dominated by mega-hits The number of plays attracted by the Top 50 audio streaming hits last year went DOWN
News Universal Music Group is worth $33bn, says Deutsche Bank Investment group suggests Liberty Media, Tencent or Google could buy into UMG
News Universal expands in China and Asia with local hires and promotions Aaron Wang, Tracy Mu and KT Ang all join major, as other execs are promoted
Analysis News How to have a streaming hit in the USA: hire 9.1 songwriters (and a rap artist) BuzzAngle data reveals all you need to know about 2018's top-selling singles and albums
Analysis News More than 1/4 of all music streamed in the USA last year was hip-hop Overall on-demand stream volume will likely top a TRILLION this year
News UK record industry enjoys £109m annual growth – but album sales tanked in 2018 Album sales across physical and digital formats fell by 13.2m
News Ebro Darden named Apple Music’s Global Head of Editorial for Hip-Hop and R&B DJ/presenter will 'find ways to connect with urban music communities and beyond'
News UK entertainment retail chain HMV falls into administration… again KPMG appointed as administrators at 97-year-old company
News Spotify’s market cap sinks below $20bn for the first time since it went public Spotify has seen more than $15bn wiped off its valuation since its peak ($35bn) in late July
News Spotify settles with Wixen, bringing $1.6bn lawsuit to an end "Spotify is a huge part of the future of music, and we look forward to bringing more great music from our clients to the public on terms that compensate songwriters and publishers as important partners."