News

Analysis and updates from the world of high‑resolution and digital audio.

Stay up to date with developments in high‑resolution audio, music streaming, internet radio, and digital distribution. Our News section blends timely updates with analysis of the trends shaping how we listen — from new codec standards and platform rollouts to artist‑focused innovations.

You’ll also find commentary on streaming economics, audio quality debates, and the evolving landscape of lossless and immersive formats.

BBC Sounds up 8.5% as on-demand listening hits new highs

02/11/2025

BBC Sounds enjoyed a strong summer quarter, recording 675 million plays between July and September 2025 — up 8.5 % year-on-year, according to new BBC figures. The platform saw record podcast engagement, a surge in sports coverage, and continued growth among under-35 audiences, as live radio, on-demand programmes and music mixes all contributed to its best Q3 performance to date. Live radio listening RAJAR data for the same period confirms the BBC remains the UK’s […]

Americans prefer paid streaming over free tiers

01/11/2025

According to Edison Research’s latest Share of Ear report, Americans aged 13+ now spend 66 % of their music streaming listening time on paid platforms, with ad-supported services making up the remaining 34%. This marks a major milestone for the streaming industry — most listening now happens on paid subscriptions even as overall audio remains dominated by ad-supported formats such as AM/FM radio and podcasts, according to Nielsen’s The Record Q3 2025. Key findings In 2015, […]

Apple TV gets new Spotify app

01/11/2025

Apple TV gets Spotify’s new app bringing video podcasts, music videos and smarter playback to big‑screen streaming. Spotify has completely redesigned the app for Apple TV, rebuilt from the ground up for living‑room use. The update introduces major features such as music‑video playback, video‑podcasts, enhanced queue management, lyrics display and AI‑powered recommendations — closing a long‑standing functionality gap for big‑screen audiences. What’s new in the app The user interface has been rebuilt to feel more native […]

SOURCE: Edison Research Share of Ear - Share of daily time spent with ad-supported audio among US audiences

Americans spend most time listening to ad supported audio

31/10/2025

The latest edition of Nielsen’s The Record (Q3 2025) reveals that Americans spent an average of 3 hours 53 minutes per day listening to audio across all platforms — with ad-supported audio continuing to dominate overall listening. According to Nielsen, AM/FM radio remains the largest single component of audio consumption, while podcasts and ad-supported streaming services are expanding their reach among younger audiences. Key findings from Q3 2025 Ad-supported audio represented approximately 64% of total […]

Spotify to raise UK premium prices in November

30/10/2025

At the end of last week, Spotify started emailing UK Premium users to confirm a £1 price rise, with the Individual plan increasing from £11.99 to £12.99 per month from November 2025 (or from each subscriber’s next billing date thereafter) In its notice to customers, Spotify said the change was part of its plan to “continue to innovate in changing market conditions and deliver the best audio content around the world.” What’s changing Individual plan: […]

LG Electronics and Stingray Music partner to supercharge LG Radio+

24/10/2025

LG Electronics has revealed a strategic partnership with Stingray Music to upgrade its free, ad‑supported audio service, LG Radio+, available on LG Smart TVs running webOS 6.0 and above across multiple markets including the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Korea. Elevating free audio streaming for Smart TV users As part of the alliance, LG Radio+ will now deliver over 200 music channels and hundreds of thousands of songs, curated by Stingray’s global team of music […]

AuroMasters brings immersive AURO-3D streaming to India

20/10/2025

AuroMasters — the immersive, high-resolution streaming platform powered by AURO-3D — has launched in India, following earlier rollouts in the US, Europe, and Japan. Billed as “the world’s first immersive music jukebox,” the service aims to deliver ‘studio-quality’ immersive sound using AURO’s proprietary format. Its arrival in India, however, raises questions about where high-end streaming fits in markets dominated by free, ad-supported platforms. What the service offers Streams music in native AURO-3D up to 24-bit […]