Enjoy audiobooks anytime, anywhere with Libby, Hoopla or Spotify: Video
Until I started listening to audiobooks.
I can dive into a new world while brushing my teeth, driving or cooking dinner. That's not so easy to do with physical books when you need a hand to hold the book and eyes to read the words.
And the best part is: it's so easy to find a vast digital library of audiobooks entirely for free.
Watch this video to see where you can find free audiobooks.
Best app for free audiobooks
Libby and Hoopla have virtual libraries full of audiobooks, e-books and more. All you need to access these platforms is a library card.
The selection and quantity of books depends on your specific library system. This could mean there's a smaller selection of audiobooks than some paid services offer.
Similar to visiting your physical library, popular books might be checked out by someone else, so you'll have to wait for them to be returned. Fortunately, audiobooks still have due dates and the app tells you where you are in line and gives you an approximate wait time. This may not be ideal for someone looking to listen to the hottest new release immediately, but it's great for the casual reader who is okay with waiting.
If you're interested in the classics, many of them are old enough now that they are part of the public domain. This means you can download those audiobooks for free on sites like Librivox or find them in the libraries of popular e-readers like Apple Books or Kindle.
Speaking of e-readers, their libraries also offer free audiobooks. However, they may not have some of the popular titles you're looking for.
Shop top-rated related products:
Audiobooks on Spotify
Spotify and Audible are two very popular paid audiobook options.
Unlike Libby and Hoopla, the titles on Spotify and Audible can be accessed on-demand, meaning you don't have to wait for someone else to return the title before you can dive right in.
Audiobooks aren't accessible on all Spotify subscription plans, so you may need to upgrade to access it. Subscribers get access to 15 hours a month of audiobook listening time, according to Spotify's website.
Audible's subscriptions model allots a designated amount of books for you to enjoy within either a month or a year, depending on the plan you purchase.
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Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
The 10-year-old sleeper hit that has more plays than any Taylor Swift song
The final song on LA band Lord Huron's second album flew well under the mainstream radar when it was released in 2015. A decade on, it's one of the most unlikely success stories in music. Beyoncé and Dua Lipa may be two of the world's top pop stars, and both put out new albums last year, but their biggest songs of 2024 did not match the popularity of a 10-year-old track by Lord Huron, according to the official Billboard global end-of-year singles chart. And Charli XCX may have ruled Brat summer, but her biggest hit still wasn't as big as The Night We Met by Lord Huron in the UK last year. (The Night We Met was 35th on Billboard's global chart for 2024, above Dua's Houdini at 37 and Beyoncé's Texas Hold 'Em at 41; and it was 60th on the UK Official Chart Company's end-of-year rundown, while Charli's Guess was her biggest hit single at 73.) Meanwhile, the Lord Huron song is in the exclusive club of tracks that have racked up three billion Spotify plays - a club even Taylor Swift isn't in yet. Videos featuring The Night We Met have had another three billion views on TikTok, according to music data tracker Chartmetric. "It's unbelievable," says Lord Huron frontman Ben Schneider of the popularity of his song, which has snowballed in recent years and shows no signs of slowing down. It's not unusual for old songs to become perennial favourites on streaming and social media (see The Killers, Fleetwood Mac and Tom Odell). What is much rarer is for it to happen to a track that was not a hit the first time around. And The Night We Met was nowhere near. The aching ballad closed Lord Huron's second LP of indie folk, Strange Trails, which was well received by the group's loyal fanbase and critics, but only grazed the US album chart. The song was written as "a wistful reflection of a relationship, maybe with a sense of regret of where it's ended up and where it started", Schneider explains. "I remember writing that song and feeling like it was a very concise way to end a record. And I remember my wife saying she thought there was something really special to it. But years went by and it wasn't like it was a hit or anything. "And then things just started to happen with it." The first thing to happen was for it to be used on the soundtrack of Netflix teen drama 13 Reasons Why in 2017. At first, Schneider was unsure whether to let it be on the soundtrack, but his wife told him: "Just do it, put it in the show." The couple were away in France at the time. "We were gone for a few months, and when we came back my manager was like, 'Something's happening with this song'," the singer recalls. "I figured it'd be a quick spike and then fade away, but it's had this weird and pretty unheard of long tail, where rather than falling off into nothing, it fell off and then slowly ramped back up. And it just seems to keep going." Schneider recorded a duet version with Phoebe Bridgers for another 13 Reasons Why scene in 2018. Most of its subsequent lease of life has come from its popularity on TikTok. It has since defied musical gravity by becoming more popular every year. In 2024, it had almost a billion streams on Spotify - 57% more than the previous year, according to Chartmetric. The song's lyrics hark back to the start of a soured relationship: "I had all and then most of you / Some and now none of you / Take me back to the night we met." The song has been used in various TikTok memes, and Cosmopolitan put it top of its playlist of Sad Songs to Blast When You're Feeling Hella Moody. But it can fit a range of emotions and situations - Molly-Mae Hague used it to soundtrack her pregnancy announcement video in 2022. "I think everyone can relate to that sort of story and can insert their own biography into it," Schneider reflects. "It's a vessel that fits a lot of people's personal stories. That's maybe why it's had such a lasting and slow-burning effect on people." The singer says The Night We Met's success came at a good moment in the band's career, "because we had already established ourselves in a lot of ways". "We already had a very devoted fanbase, so we weren't necessarily locked into a one-hit-wonder status by that song. "Even though it far outstrips our other songs in terms of streaming and everything, we have enough going on otherwise to not feel like we're known only for that one singular moment, which is great." There is indeed a lot more to the band than one song. Lord Huron began as a solo project in 2010, before Schneider assembled a full line-up. They have released four albums of yearning, soulful and haunting Americana - with a fifth coming out on Friday. Their albums show Schneider's skill as a storyteller as well as a songwriter, often containing a running thread of a storyline. The new LP is titled The Cosmic Selector Vol 1 - about a 1950s-style jukebox that can transport people to alternate universes, where life has turned out differently after small decisions in the past set them on different paths. "I guess the past few years, as I've been getting a bit older, I've just been thinking about all the ways my own life could have gone, or could still go, or might have been," Schneider explains. "Not with any sense of regret, but more with a sense of wonder at the sheer randomness of it all, and how different things could have been if very little things had gone another way. "So I started thinking about a collection of songs representing that randomness - the lottery that one's lot in life is." But the controls of this magic jukebox are "busted", he says. "Everything's mislabelled. What you think you're selecting might send you a completely different way, and everything's on the menu - sorrow, joy, horror, love - all the ways a life can go." So various characters, including one voiced by actress Kristen Stewart, are put through this dimension-hopping, life-scrambling retro randomiser. Some are based on Schneider himself, others are just made up, he says. Everyone has their own sliding doors moments when life could have turned out differently. For Schneider, there was the time a jazz combo played in an assembly at grade school. "I remember watching the bass player and being like, 'I could be in a band some day', and a lightbulb turned on in my head," he says. "I think there's a myriad of moments like that where I could have chosen one thing and didn't, so it's fascinating to consider that." The moment in France when his wife persuaded him to allow The Night We Met to be used in 13 Reasons Why was another turning point. Schneider hit the jackpot in the lottery of life with that sleeper hit. He now hopes its popularity turns people on to the rest of their music. "I want to keep trying to move forward and making new stuff," he says. "And hopefully something that we make will have the same kind of impact that song has had. "And I think over time, stuff we have already made will, I hope." The 2010s lost classics that became sleeper hits a decade on
Business Insider
8 hours ago
- Business Insider
I have to work on the last night of Prime Day, so now I'm subjecting you to my unhinged wish list
Unfortunately, it's still Prime Day. So that means while everyone else my age is out enjoying a beautiful summer evening or watching Manhattanhenge, I'm tethered to my computer, writing about deals. The good news is that my bosses have all gone home for the day, so there's no one here to tell me I can't write an article about all the things I personally want to buy this Prime Day. If you're also spending your Friday night on the internet (by choice, or otherwise), maybe my ramblings will provide some inspiration for your own shopping. I've also included some items from my coworkers' wish lists, because they have equally unhinged and impeccable tastes. Oh, and I'm probably obliged to tell you that we're still rounding up the best deals still happening over in our Prime Day deals hub. My Amazon Prime Day wish list A big, purple, sparkly rubber bag with holes in it I was recently introduced to the concept of a Bogg Bag, and now I want one. I feel like this would be so cute for the farmer's market, right? And because it's rubber and filled with holes, I could use it as a big colander wash my farmer's market produce right inside it. I'd also like it for the beach, if I had a beach to go to. Apparently you can buy accessories, like a snack holder top that turns it into a cooler facsimile. A bright yellow showerhead I actually have a Sproos showerhead installed in my bathroom, which I tested for our guide to the best showerhead (it made our top picks!). But this bright yellow color seems like it would make my mornings extra sunny, which is something on my mind right now since I don't think I've been outside in four days. A cannabis candle I have no idea why the scent is called cannabis, because it doesn't contain or even smell like pot. My boss is a freak for Malin + Goetz candles, and she's one of the coolest people I know (hi Sally!), so now I want to be a freak for Malin + Goetz candles, too. I'm not sure I can stomach paying $50+ for a candle, even on sale, but I'll happily accept it as a gift. A jumbo stick of anti-thigh chafe It's summer in the city, which means my thighs are constantly chafing. This stuff really does work. Plus, I love Katie Sturino, the founder of Megababe and am currently reading her new book (also on sale for Prime Day, but not on my wish list because I already downloaded it on my Kindle). A new Kindle because my husband just got one and I'm jealous I already have an (aforementioned) Kindle, but I've been considering trading it in for a Kindle Paperwhite Unlimited because my husband just got a Kindle for his birthday, and I'm a little envious. His is a newer model than mine and ad-free, so I'd want the Paperwhite Signature Edition just so I can one-up him with the wireless charging aspect. A book of Taylor Swift-inspired crochet patterns This book has been on my wish list for a while, and after this week of never-ending deals, I could use a calming and Swift-centric activity. An Octobuddy for all the content I don't make If this journalism thing doesn't work out, I have dreams of becoming an influencer, and word on the street is that influencers love the Octobuddy. I figure the first step to being a content creator is getting myself one of these. Hair dye I hear the advice is to go through your order history for any deals on things you order regularly, which reminded me it's about time that I dye my hair again. My grays are starting to show through after a four-day Prime "Day." A two-pack of Scrubbing Bubbles Once I dye my hair, I'll need to clean my shower. Lillian's Prime Day wish list Lillian says all she wants for Prime Day is a pack of "healthy" soda. I told her to dream bigger, so she managed to drum up a few other "practical" items. A Poppi variety pack I'm a fiend for Diet Coke, but otherwise I'm not a huge fan of soda. Trying the Poppi Cranberry Fizz flavor on Thanksgiving changed things a bit and opened up the world of prebiotic soda to me. Through trial and error, I've found that not all flavors are created equal, but I'm interested in trying the New Obsessions pack, which has the newly released Alpine Blast and Punch Pop flavors. A new MacBook As my aging 2019 MacBook Pro force-reboots once again and continues to go less and less time between charges, I dream of upgrading my personal laptop to a newer model. I've always used a Pro, but I've been considering giving an Air a try for something lightweight and easier to travel with. While I'll probably try to get another year or two out of my current Mac, the discounted price on the 2025 MacBook Air is certainly tempting. Shokz I'm a long-distance runner, and I've been meaning to buy a pair of Shokz for quite some time. They're wireless headphones that use bone conduction technology so you can still hear your surroundings (probably a must-have, or at least a should -have, if you're running alongside cars in the city like me). They're also waterproof, which might help me avoid breaking yet another pair of headphones with sweat and rain. Jaclyn's Prime Day wish list When I asked Jaclyn to contribute to this roundup, she sent me one item on her wish list and screenshots of — I'm not exaggerating — 17 items she actually bought during Prime Day, including what appears to be three different tripods for holding your phone. I don't have time to make that many product cards, so instead I'm just having her bullet out some of the stuff she bought: Aura Carver Frame: "My college roommate got married last weekend. Here's the wedding gift I got her to display all her beautiful photos from the weekend." Poppi Sparkling Variety Pack: "It's a Prime Day tradition for me to buy myself a big variety pack of Poppi. A lot of these flavors are new to me, but I'm a big fan of the cherry lime." Slim Square Havianas: "Pookie [ Lauren's note: Jaclyn is referring to Pookie of TikTok fame ] put me on to the square-toe Havianas, but I could never justify the regular price for a pair of rubber flip flops. For $15, I'm all about it. Lancome Lash Idole Mascara: "I thought it was time to stock up on my favorite mascara. I rebuy it every time I see it at least 40% off." Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam EX, 200ml (I0088602): "I've been using the same Clinique face wash for 15 years, I still love it and feel like I'm cheating on her, but I'm curious to try this after our style editor Gabi flagged it as a must-try deal." TONEOF 66" Automatic Tripod: "I've been in the market to buy a new tripod to take better photos for style stories. This one is super portable and should be able to fit in a tote bag." JW PEI Women's Erika Topstitching Lace-Up Ballet Flats: "I thought I'd try the sneaker ballet flat. I think these look so cool, not sure if they're "me" though." JW PEI Women's Helena Pierced Mules: "These mules are absolutely works of art." Hefty Ultra Strong 13 Gallon Trash Bags: "Just so happens it was perfect timing to replace my trash bags as I pulled out the last of mine last week. These smell like a watermelon Jolly Rancher." Anker USB C to USB C Cable: "My MacBook charger looks like it has gone through the ringer. I've had a good experience with Anker products so I thought I'd give it a try." Kasas Smart Plugs: "I've had a few of these over the years, but now I want to add more automation to my house with my lighting. I like that these work with both Google and Alexa (I have both systems) and can track energy consumption." Sojos Sunglasses: "Style editor Samantha Crozier wrote about these for Prime Day. After looking at how good she looked in the photos, I'll give these tiny frames a try." A bunch of random stuff from Amazon Haul. Jaclyn did a deep dive on Amazon's Temu-like store, and purchased a bunch of crap — er, I mean — stuff along the way. Sarah's Prime Day wish list As our team's resident night owl and evening shift editor, Sarah is well acquainted with deal event delirium and way more cogent than the rest of us. Accordingly, her wish list items are probably the most reasonable of the bunch: A cute personal trimmer "I cheaped out on a no-name brand personal trimmer last year, and it forced me to reckon with a hard truth: you really get what you pay for when you buy a $10 trimmer. Its power and form factor have been disappointing, so I'm super excited to hop on this Prime Day Meridian Slimmer Trimmer deal per my close friend's recommendation. I'm superficial, and I love it when a product comes in a cute color. I'm smitten with this light blue, well-reviewed tool, and I'm excited about its waterproof design and variable length combs. Also, as our deals editor, I can resist seeing a rarely-discounted product down to an all-time low." Side note from Lauren: Now I want this, too. Our top fish oil for dogs "I try to give my dogs the best of the best, so of course I'm using Prime Day to stock up on the top pick in our guide to the best fish oils for dogs. I've already blasted through two bottles of this stuff after giving it to my three dogs daily with their meals; it's not something I can expect immediate results from, but I rest easy knowing I'm supplementing them with omega fatty acids beneficial for their long-term health. It sees sales somewhat regularly, but $20 matches the previous lowest price it's hit before." "As I mentioned above, I have three dogs, and that means a lot of cleaning up after them. Every major sales event I cover, whether it's Prime Day or Black Friday, I pick up another box of these poop bags. I love using deal holidays to buy products I'll need to buy regardless, since it's saving me money on an inevitable purchase, even if it's only 15% off." A cartridge-free color printer "I've wanted a color printer for a while, and after seeing the rave reviews of TikTokers on Epson's EcoTank printers, I knew I would be getting one. I've been keeping an eye on this budget model's price for months now, so once I saw it drop $100 for Prime Day, I jumped on it. So far, I'm pleased with the printing — it's nothing super special or photo-quality, but it does good enough for the price. Refilling the ink is super simple, and I'm excited to get some projects going over the coming months." A durable bottle-opening fish "No joke, my last fish-shaped bottle opener fell off the shelf and broke. I got this one, and it looks pretty sweet and durable. Now, it lives on my keys, displaying my love for my pet fish, the sport of fishing, and a good fish dinner." Shopping for more discounts tonight? Check out our roundup of all of the best Prime Day deals, or browse Amazon's website for the full selection.
Los Angeles Times
9 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Restaurants, bars consider turning off music as licensing fees skyrocket
Ever since operetta composer Victor Herbert sued Shanley's restaurant in New York in 1917 to force it to pay for playing his song on a player-piano, songwriters and music publishers have depended on Performing Rights Organizations to make sure they get compensated. For much of the last century, three organizations dominated the industry, a relatively staid and unglamorous corner of the music scene that remained largely unchanged throughout the eras of radio, records and CDs. But the rise of streaming has led to a surge in revenue and spawned a handful of new organizations looking to cash in. Now there are at least half a dozen PROs in the US, representing different songwriters and publishers, each demanding that bars, restaurants, hotels and other venues pay a fee or risk being sued. Businesses say the rising licensing costs have become overwhelming, and some question whether it's even worth playing music at all. The House Judiciary Committee last fall asked the Copyright Office to investigate the current system and consider potential reforms. In February, the Office opened an inquiry and received thousands of comments from businesses and songwriters. 'The growing proliferation of PROs and their lack of transparency have made it increasingly difficult to offer music in our establishments,' hundreds of small businesses from across the country wrote to the Copyright Office in a joint letter. 'The issue is not that small businesses are unwilling to pay for music,' they wrote, adding that the current system is unfair and untenable. 'Small businesses can be left feeling like PROs have them over the proverbial barrel.' Creating a welcoming ambiance in a restaurant or yoga studio isn't as simple as putting on a Spotify playlist. Streaming has unleashed trillions of songs and every one must be licensed and have royalties paid to the songwriter whenever any track is played in public. Violations can cost up to $150,000 per infringement. This booming market for music publishing has led to a windfall for the two major PROs. ASCAP, founded in 1914, and BMI, established in 1939, together represent more than 90% of musical compositions in the US today with talent lists covering Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and Eminem, to name a few. SESAC, founded in 1931, rounds out the original three and operates on an invite-only basis. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP,) the oldest and, as a nonprofit, the only PRO to publicly share data on its collections and payout, has seen revenue jump to $1.8 billion in 2024 from $935 million in 2010. Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), in its last public report as a nonprofit in 2022, showed record revenue of $1.6 billion, with 48% of that from digital sources. This kind of growth hasn't gone unnoticed. In just over the last 12 years, three new PROs have emerged. Legendary music manager Irving Azoff founded Global Music Rights in 2013, offering 'boutique services' and royalty transparency, building a stable of more than 160 high-profile songwriters like Bad Bunny and Bruce Springsteen. AllTrack, founded in 2017, caters to smaller, independent songwriters. Pro Music Rights launched in 2018 and says it represents more than 2.5 million musical works, including AI-created music. Many songs today are composed by several songwriters, each of whom could be affiliated with a different PRO. Therefore, to legally play those songs, establishments must pay for a license from each PRO. Most PROs offer blanket licensing agreements, meaning that they provide access to their entire repertoires for one fee. And while that gives a particular venue a wide range of musical freedom, it also means bars and restaurants are paying for thousands of songs they may never play or are essentially paying twice, in instances where a song with multiple writers is represented by more than one PRO. The National Restaurant Association said its members pay an average of $4,500 per year to license music, or 0.5% of the average US small restaurant's total annual sales. 'This may not seem like a large amount, but for an industry that runs on an average pre-tax margin of 3%-5%, this cost is significant, especially since operators don't clearly understand what they get for this particular investment aside from avoiding the very legitimate threat of a business-ending lawsuit,' the association wrote in public comments to the Copyright Office. The American Hotel & Lodging Association said the mushrooming number of PROs has led to 'significant increases in both financial and administrative burdens.' It gave an example of one 'major global hotel chain' that reported the cost per hotel for PRO license fees rose by about 200% from 2021-2025, with some hotels seeing increases of 400% or more. A large hotel that hosts occasional live music events could be paying a single PRO $5,000 to $20,000 a year. If it's paying all of the major PROs, it could be incurring as much as $80,000 in fees, according to the association. BMI said its licensing fees have remained 'relatively steady over the years' and are based on objective criteria that apply equally to all similar businesses. Fees for individual bars and restaurants start at just over $1 a day, according to BMI. Other factors that go into licensing fees include the occupancy rate, and the type of music being played — live, DJed or recorded, for example. In the 1917 Supreme Court case that delivered Herbert his victory over Shanley's, Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote: 'If music did not pay, it would be given up.' He wasn't only referring to the songwriters, but also to the venues themselves and addressing whether music helped generate revenue. The ruling was a win for Herbert personally but also for ASCAP, which he had helped found, and established the royalty payment system that's largely still in use today. A spokesperson for ASCAP said an increase in fees paid to songwriters by venues is an appropriate and inevitable outcome of a growing market. The organization's musical repertoires have grown exponentially over the years to include tens of millions of works, giving music users more music and more choice, the spokesperson said. ASCAP says about 90 cents of every dollar it collects from licensees is made available for distribution to its members as royalties. 'Licensees are seeking more regulation of PROs because they want to pay songwriters less,' ASCAP Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Matthews said in a statement to Bloomberg. 'If transparency, efficiency and innovation are the goals, more free market competition among PROs is the answer— not unnecessary government intervention.' Songwriters depend on PROs for their livelihoods, especially in the streaming era. Many individual songwriters wrote to the Copyright Office in defense of the PRO system, expressing concern that government regulation would only diminish their hard-won earnings. 'Every royalty payment I receive represents not just compensation for my work, but my ability to continue creating music that enhances these very businesses,' wrote Joseph Trapanese, a composer who has created scores for film and TV. Performance royalties make up about half of total publishing revenue, which is collected by PROs and dispersed to songwriters, according to the National Music Publishers' Association. Last year, only about 5% of songwriters' earnings came from bars, restaurants and other venues, a figure that is 'significantly undervalued,' according to NMPA executive vice president and General Counsel Danielle Aguirre. 'There is a substantial opportunity for growth here,' she said, speaking at the group's annual meeting in June. The organization set a goal to significantly increase that money over the next year, likely by enforcing licensing requirements. Several establishment owners equated the PRO's efforts to collect fees to a mob-like shakedown, citing aggressive on-site confrontations and threatening letters. BMI said it spends a lot of time trying to educate business owners on the value that music brings to their establishment, federal copyright law requirements and the importance of maintaining a music license. Lawsuits are always a last resort, a spokesperson said, which is why BMI spends sometimes years on educational outreach. If those efforts are ignored, however, an in-person visit might occur, and BMI may take legal action. Despite their differences, songwriters and businesses agree that the current system is opaque and bureaucratic and could serve both sides better. Businesses complain about the lack of a comprehensive database of songs and the fact that there is no easy system for reporting which songs they've played. Meanwhile, songwriters claim that the sheer volume of music and businesses throughout the US makes it hard to track where and when their work is played and to know whether they've been properly compensated. 'What's really being called to question is, is this system working accurately—is the money that should be finding its way to the songwriters' pockets finding its way in an efficient manner?' said George Howard, a professor at Berklee College of Music. 'And the answer is 'no.' There's no excuse for that with the level of technology we have today.' BMI and ASCAP joined forces in 2020 to launch Songview, a free digital database showing copyright ownership and administration shares for more than 20 million works. The two PROs are exploring including GMR and SESAC, which would add even more songs to the platform. Some of the complaints about the PRO licensing system go back decades. Michael Dorf, a producer and founder of the legendary Manhattan music club The Knitting Factory, has faced off with PROs numerous times over his 30-some years as a venue operator. In the 1990s, he signed singer-songwriters who performed at his club to his publishing company and submitted their setlists to the PROs, assuming he and his acts would reap the resulting royalties from their performances. 'We didn't receive one penny,' Dorf, who's also the founder and Chief Executive Officer of City Winery, said in an interview. 'To me, there is a cost of doing business, and we want to have the artists and the songwriters properly paid – we love that. What's simply frustrating is to pay money and know it's not going to the reason why it's being collected.' Caleb Shreve, a songwriter and producer who's worked with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and is also CEO at Killphonic Rights, a rights collection organization, said he hears music he has produced 'all the time in yoga spots and bars, and I've never seen them on publishing statements.' Many songwriters are convinced the current system favors the biggest artists at the expense of middle-tier and emerging songwriters. Because of the blanket licensing system, BMI and ASCAP don't track individual song use by those licensees and instead rely on proxy data, like what's popular on the radio or through streaming platforms, to divvy up those collected fees. Sometimes radio hits mimic what's played in an arena, restaurant or bar, but not always. ASCAP said it tracks trillions of performances every year across all media platforms and only uses sample surveys or proxy data when obtaining actual performance data isn't feasible or is cost prohibitive. Technology could be a way to solve the current issues without regulation. London-based Audoo is one company leading the way. Founded by musician Ryan Edwards in 2018 after he heard his music being played in a department store and discovered he wasn't getting paid for it, the growing startup uses proprietary listening devices it places in cafes, gyms and other public venues to recognize and log songs. It uploads the data to the cloud, ensuring every artist — not just the chart toppers — receives compensation for their work. The company has attracted investment from music icons including Elton John and Adele, and its devices are used by PROs in the UK and Australia. It made its first foray into the US earlier this year, placing listening devices in about 180 establishments around the Denver area in a test collected data underscored that what's played in public places doesn't necessarily mirror what's on the popular playlists or radio and streaming platforms. Edwards likens the idea of using proxies to political polling — directionally helpful but not precise. Audoo found that 77,000 unique tracks were played around Denver over two months, split among 26,000 artists, according to data viewed by Bloomberg News. On average, only 6.6% of the top-40 songs played in the venues also appeared on Billboard's top radio-play chart. In markets where Audoo has partnered with venues, Edwards said business owners have been proud to support particular songwriters and the music business writ large. 'All of a sudden it went from a push-and-pull of, 'Why do I owe you money?' to, 'Ok, I can understand music is funding the people who create,'' Edwards said. Carman and Soni write for Bloomberg.
