Music streaming + distribution

• Everyone Wants To Be A Distributor. Is That A Good Business Decision? (Billboard)

• Fraud Has Become The Latest Hurdle For Music Streaming (Variety)

• Millions of Followers? Yes, But Some Top Spotify Playlists Fall Short on Engagement (Billboard)

Music-tech's bleeding edge

• What's The (Far) Future Of Music Listening? (NPR Music)

• What's The Actual Business Case For Virtual Reality In Music? (Forbes)

• Are Smart Contracts Smart Enough For The Music Industry? (BREAKER Mag)

• Unbundling The Song: The Next Wave Of Recorded Music's Disruption (Forbes)

• Music Generated by A.I. Is Reshaping, Not Destroying, The Industry (Billboard)

Music-industry investment + finance

• Is Now Really The Best Time To Invest In Music Royalties? (Forbes)

• A New Breed Of Music Accelerators, For Startups And Artists Alike (Music Ally)

• Music Startups Launch Successful Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns (Forbes)

Artist + label strategy

• Tom Misch's Streaming Growth Is A Blueprint For Indie-Artist Success (Billboard)

• Celebrity Apps Keep Failing. So, Why Are They Still Being Built? (Billboard)

• More Brands Are Starting Their Own Record Labels (Music Business Worldwide)

• From Fenty Beauty to Savage: The Secrets to Rihanna's Business Success (Billboard)

• How YouTube Entrepreneurs Are Disrupting Traditional Record Labels (Forbes)

• "The Life of Pablo" Reinvented The Album As We Know It. Why Has No One Followed Suit? (Complex)

Hyper-local + hyper-global moves

• Tencent Wants A Piece Of The World's Most Successful Record Label (NPR Music)

• Why the Music Business Can't Afford to Ignore the Middle East (Billboard)

• What Will It Take For Streaming To Grow In Japan? (Forbes)

• India, The Global Music Industry's Sleeping Giant, Is Finally Waking Up (Forbes)

• Why Is Mexico City The No. 1 Market For So Many Artists On Spotify? (Billboard)

Hip-hop culture + tech innovation

• Anatomy of a Sample: Inside The Legal Complexities Behind Hip-Hop's Creative Backbone (Billboard)

• Why So Many Hip-Hop Producers Are Putting Business Before Beats (Pitchfork)

• Hip-Hop Is Taking Center Stage On Netflix's Original Music Programming (Forbes)

• How 88Rising Wants To Become Disney For The Next Wave Of Global Internet Culture (Forbes)

Music media crossovers

• What Happens When Artists And Labels Build And Buy Their Own Media Companies? (Music Business Worldwide)

• Fitness Is The New Hot Marketing Platform & Revenue Stream For Music (Forbes)

• Is Music The Comic Book Industry's New Secret Weapon? (Forbes)

Live events + livestreaming

• Why Music Festival Culture Is Playlist Culture (Forbes)

• The Economics​ Of 24/7 Lo-Fi Hip-Hop YouTube Livestreams (Hot Pod News)

• How Dance Producers Are Using Twitch To Connect With Fans (DJ Mag)

• How Livestreaming Is Bridging the Gap Between Bands and Fans (Pitchfork)

Music + gaming

• The Future of Gaming In Electronic Music (DJ Mag)

• Why The Music Industry Needs The Gaming Industry's Help To Scale Virtual Concerts (Music Business Worldwide)

• Why The Intersection Of Music And Esports Is Bigger Business Than Ever (Forbes)

• Is Video Game Music An Art — And A Business — In Its Own Right? (Forbes)

Music + podcasts

• Want To Promote Your Album? Make A Podcast About It (Vulture)

• Will Podcast Playlists Elevate The Microcast? (Hot Pod News)

• Spotify's Acquisition Of Gimlet & Anchor Does To Podcasts What It Can't Afford To Do To Music (Billboard)

• Musicians Are Starting Their Own Podcasts — The Podcast Industry Should Pay Attention (Bello Collective)

• What Makes A Great Podcast Studio? You Won't Be Able To Hear It (Billboard)

Gender, diversity + politics

• A Music Industry Guide To The 2018 Midterm Elections (Billboard)

• Young Streaming Companies Face Old-School Struggle: Gender Parity (Billboard)

• A Playbook For Pushing The Needle On Diversity In Music (Forbes)

• Billboard 40 Under 40: Solutions For Diversity and Mentorship (Billboard)

• Women in Music 2018: The Unsung Power of the Industry's Publicists (Billboard)