Spotify is to cut almost a fifth of jobs at the music streaming business in a move affecting about 1,500 posts. Bosses at the technology firm said in a note to staff that it will axe 17% of the workforce in a bid to be more efficient in the face of a growth slowdown. The […]
Archive | Music
Spotify will not ban all AI-powered music, says boss of streaming giant
The boss of Spotify has said he would not completely ban content generated by artificial intelligence from the music streaming service. Daniel Ek told the BBC he thought there were legitimate use cases for the technology in music, but that it should not be used to impersonate real artists without their consent. He said there […]
Warner Music sign first digital character Noonoouri and release debut single
Warner Music Central Europe has offered its first record deal to a digital character, Noonoouri, releasing her debut single Dominoes featuring German DJ Alle Farben on Friday. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology was used to create the singing voice of Noonoouri, which has been based on a real singer’s voice but altered so she has her […]
Spotify to Increase Subscription Fees in Ireland
In a move that probably surprises very few people, Spotify has announced that they will be increasing their monthly subscription fees for Spotify Premium users. The price change will impact paid subscribers in 53 countries, including Ireland and most of the EU. The price increase in Ireland appears to be in line with other markets, […]
Grammy Award bosses ban AI from entering any category
The Recording Academy has announced a number of changes to the Grammy Awards, including a rule that “only human creators” can win in a decision aimed at the use of artificial intelligence in popular music. “A work that contains no human authorship is not eligible in any category,” they said, under new Artificial Intelligence (AI) […]
Lead vocal tracks in popular music ‘got quieter over the years’
While many people will love belting out their favourite song at the top of their lungs, a new study suggests our favourite singers have become quieter over the years. Researchers analysed hundreds of popular song recordings from 1946 to 2020, tracking the volume of lead singers’ vocals and bands they played with. They found that […]
Name-that-tune game Heardle dropped by Spotify after a year
Heardle, the name-that-tune game inspired by the Wordle craze, is being dropped by Spotify less than a year after the music streaming giant acquired it. “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Heardle,” Spotify said in a statement. A similar announcement was posted on the Heardle home page. First […]
Spotify becomes latest tech giant to cut jobs, with 6% of workforce to be shed
Music streaming service Spotify has said it is cutting 6% of its global workforce, or about 600 jobs, becoming the latest tech company to resort to lay-offs as the post-pandemic economic outlook weakens. CEO Daniel Ek announced the restructuring in a message to employees that was also posted online. Mr Ek wrote that as part […]
Scientists keep time on music that helps people sleep
Is slow-paced, instrumental music not helping you get to sleep? Scientists say you should try your favourite energetic song instead. Early research suggests listening to preferred music – even if it is loud, energetic, and has vocals – may be able to facilitate better shut-eye. Experts believe this is because there is no “one-size-fits-all” when […]
Learning to play the piano ‘improves ability to process sights and sounds’
Playing the piano improves the brain’s ability to process sights and sounds, as well as reducing depression, anxiety and stress, according to a study. Researchers at the University of Bath followed beginners who took lessons for an hour a week over an 11-week period. The one-to-one lessons consisted of 20 minutes of finger exercises, followed […]