Music Business Roundup: Swift Leaves Spotify, SoundExchange Payouts Increase, and More

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Each week on Songwriter U, Songspace recaps the top stories in the world of music business. Here’s everything you need to know from the week ending on November 7th.

Videos by American Songwriter

Swift Sells 1.3 Million, Leaves Spotify
Taylor Swift’s 1989 shattered this year’s sales record, selling just under 1.3 million copies in its first week. Swift and her label Big Machine also made headlines for removing her entire catalog from Spotify. This prompted many debates, and fueled speculation that Big Machine’s owners might sell the label.
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Former Billboard editor Bill Werde’s op-ed…

SoundExchange Payouts Increase
Recent numbers from SoundExchange show a 74% increase in payouts from this time last year.
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BMI Reassures Pandora
Despite continuous speculation that major publishers might soon withdraw catalogs from performing rights organizations, BMI has privately reassured Pandora no majors will be leaving, according to a letter from Pandora to a judge presiding over a lawsuit between the two companies.
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Beats & Southwest
A new partnership between Beats and Southwest will bring the music service aboard flights across the US.
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Warner Partners with SoundCloud
Warner Music Group became the first major label to create a partnership with SoundCloud, creating possibilities for licensing and promotion for WMG artists.
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