March 2021

Sony introduces 360 Reality Audio wireless speakers

25/03/2021

Sony introduces 360 Reality Audio wireless speakers with new Amazon Music HD streaming capabilities. From the 6th April 2021 in North America, Sony’s SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000 speakers can now stream Amazon Music HD using Alexa Cast. This subscription plan offers 70 million songs available in High Definition (CD Quality 16-bit lossless FLAC), over five million songs in Ultra HD (HiRes 24-bit lossless FLAC), and a growing catalogue of 3D Audio, which includes 360 Reality Audio content. Introduced in […]

Spotify refreshes its Home Hub

25/03/2021

Spotify refreshes its Home Hub so that users can access the content they love more easily and also be able to discover something new straight from their home screen. The updates follow on from improvements made last year and aim to make the Home experience even more personalised for each and every listener. The improvements will roll out to users globally on iOS and Android this month. The new features are: Travel back in time […]

Qobuz is first HiRes streaming service on Sonos

24/03/2021

Qobuz is first HiRes streaming service on Sonos delivering 24-bit HiRes audio streaming using the Sonos S2 app. In 2013, Qobuz became the first music service to offer 16-bit FLAC streaming on Sonos. And now, it is continuing to expand access to higher-resolution streaming on Sonos by introducing 24-bit streaming, compatible with most products on the Sonos S2 platform, which supports up to 48 kHz/24-bit audio resolution. This new integration builds on Qobuz’s continued expansion […]

Deezer adds a Family HiFi plan

24/03/2021

Deezer adds a Family HiFi plan allowing existing HiFi subscribers up to six profiles for €19.99. The new offering costs just €5 more than a regular HiFi subscription, which means that it only costs €1 for each additional profile. Deezer will also open Family HiFi to new subscribers for the same price later this year. Deezer Family HiFi is available now for existing Deezer HiFi users and will roll out to new users later this […]

Spotify CEO discusses music streaming economics

21/03/2021

Daniel Ek, the founder and CEO of Spotify discusses the economics of music streaming in a recent blog posting and announces the creation of a new website, ‘Loud & Clear’ which aims to provide clear explanations of the economics of music streaming. Spotify was founded in 2006 in Stockholm, Sweden where Ek was born and raised. Since its 2014 low, the music industry has grown by 44%, driven primarily by streaming revenues, which increased 500% […]

Neil Young Archives introduces upgraded subscription plans

21/03/2021

Neil Young Archives introduces upgraded subscription plans which include access to Neil’s live performances and priority access to new features. Neil has introduced two additional tiers of membership, Rust and Patron, in addition to the current tier that has been renamed Classic. NYA’s Classic tier will continue to provide the same benefits plus a few extras. The cost remains the same – $19.99/year. Existing subscribers will not need to do anything, their subscription will continue […]

People turned to streaming for entertainment in 2020

20/03/2021

People turned to streaming for entertainment in 2020 as they sought out entertainment and distraction during the global pandemic. YouGov conducted a global study tracking the impact of the pandemic on consumer behaviours in 17 countries around the world. YouGov’s International Media Consumption Report 2021 examines the changes in how frequently people consumed media, including how our listening habits have shifted. Among people in the US and UK there was an acceleration of active listening (music streaming […]