Audio Ink

NASCAR and SiriusXM have inked a multi-year broadcasting agreement renewal, keeping 24/7 NASCAR content on the platform. This includes live broadcasts of every race, daily NASCAR talk shows, and interviews with industry voices on SiriusXM’s NASCAR Radio channel.

During their 2023 Q1 earnings call, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek hinted that the company may raise subscription prices in the US this year. Spotify increased prices last year in 46 different markets, and Ek noted that the streamer will consider raising prices in the US after negotiations with labels.

A top-tier streamer is adding a new level of audio to the up-and-coming social media app, BeReal. The companies have partnered to allow users to share what they're listening to on their BeReal posts by connecting accounts. The app is designed to defeat the "staged" aspect of social media.

The 2023 New York Festivals Radio Awards has recognized the best creative audio entries from storytellers around the world. Gold trophies were given to entries across various categories, including news coverage, podcasts, audiobooks, documentaries, dramas, entertainment, and music specials.

A song that used artificial intelligence to clone the voices of Drake and The Weeknd has been removed from Apple Music, Spotify, and other streamers after a claim from Universal Music Group. The pseudo-collaboration between the superstars, "Heart on my Sleeve," went viral in the past week.

Nir Zicherman, co-founder of podcast production platform Anchor, has announced his departure from Spotify in the coming fall. Zicherman has been at the company for four years after Spotify bought Anchor, which is now known as Spotify for Podcasters.

Niche online streamer Gimme Radio will shut down on April 29 after six years of operation. Co-founder and CEO Tyler Lenane made the announcement in a lengthy post on April 10.

Podcasting and on-demand industry newsletter Podnews has acquired Streamline Publishing’s Podcast Business Journal. Podnews has operated a free daily newsletter covering news, jobs, and events since 2017. Streamline Publishing started PBJ in 2018.

TuneIn has announced the relaunch of its audiobook library for all premium account holders. The streamer had previously offered audiobooks for premium users until about five years ago. Non-premium subscribers can access a limited selection of certain titles.

First, it was Locker Room, then it was Greenroom, then Live, and now it is no more. Spotify ended service to its Clubhouse-style app Spotify Live on Monday after informing users. In 2021, Spotify acquired the app by buying developer Betty Labs for €57 million.