In the Age of Streaming, the Top 10 is Dead; How Apple Can Make the iPod Mighty Again

In the age of streaming, the Top 10 is dead.

Do you remember the iPod Nano with touch capabilities? The sixth generation iPod Nano caused quite a stir — thanks to its touch interface and beautiful screen. And it also set Apple on the path to the Apple Watch. I have always been a bit of an iPod fanboy and bought pretty much every single model.

A year ago, Apple stirred controversy by striking special deals with some of pop music’s biggest stars. Now Spotify is under fire for dealings with artists who, in a sense, do not exist at all.

Baby Driver has kindled our iPod nostalgia, but a little inspiration from a new Spotify player it could be a killer listening device again.

To me, it's beyond a doubt that we'll all be listening to AI-created music within a few decades, and probably much sooner.

Google debuted the New Release Radio feature for its Google Play music service.

It is the first time since the 2006 inaugural list of the Money Makers top 10 that so many artists from hip-hop and rap genres have placed that high.

"I think we have the opportunity to be a billion-dollar company if we attack all verticals," says Muru Music CEO Nicc Johnson.

The music industry has evolved in various ways, but the way artists are compensated hasn’t. Music labels and streaming platform such as YouTube, Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, and Deezer can take up to 80% of the revenue and while well-known artists can get rich off their cut, smaller artists can barely put food on the table.

Sony Music is the latest label group to enter into a licensing agreement with virtual reality startup MelodyVR.