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Music Choice
American music television service From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Music Choice (abbreviated as MC) is an American television music service that digitally broadcasts audio-based music channels and video-related content to cable television providers in the United States. In 2019, it reached 65 million households in North America via linear television channels and TV-on-demand services.[3]
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Music Choice is distributed nationwide by Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox Communications, Verizon Fios, DirecTV and other smaller cable providers. Similar broadcast music services include DMX, Stingray Music (Canadian), Sirius XM, and XITE.
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History
Early development Music Choice (formerly known as Digital Cable Radio) was the first digital audio broadcast service in the world and, under its founder and CEO David Del Beccaro,[4][5][6][7] launched in test markets circa 1987. From its inception as an eight-channel audio service from Motorola's cable group, Music Choice evolved into a multi-platform interactive music network based in New York that reaches millions of consumers across nationwide. Music Choice is a partnership owned by a consortium, including Universal's Comcast, Charter Communications through its acquisition of Time Warner Cable in May 2016, Cox Communications, EMI Music, Microsoft, Arris International (formerly part of Motorola's cable technologies division), and Sony Corporation of America.
Several of its stations are measured through Mediabase and its playlists are accounted for in weekly airplay charts in addition to traditional radio and Sirius XM plays.
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Platforms
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Linear audio channels
Music Choice currently offers over 50 linear channels of various music radio formats through digital cable providers. The number of channels available varies by provider.
Music Choice On Demand
Music Choice offers free video on demand content, including hundreds of music videos from various recording artists, original programs, and artist features.
TV Everywhere App
Starting in July 2008, Music Choice released iOS and Android apps. The app requires login with a participating provider's TV Everywhere authentication credentials to use, and the same access is available on traditional desktop/laptop web browsers.
Each Music Choice channel is distributed in a freeze frame television format, where still slides appear on screen while the audio plays. These slides typically display:
Banner advertising, which is the only form of advertising shown on the service, as the audio programming remains commercial-free.
"Did You Know?" factoids, such as when the artist was born, where they live, etc. To go into detail, these factoids never appear on the first slide of a song, and rather after the first.
In the past, the on-screen trivia factoids have drawn criticism for occasionally presenting grim or morbid content. A May 2017 HuffPost article highlighted that some slides featured details about illnesses, homicides, and suicides involving musical artists and their close relations, describing the tone as unusually dark for a music platform.[8]
Before the major graphic change in November 2021, Music Choice used color-coded themes behind or on text elements that vary by daypart, with schemes such as blue, pink, green, or yellow.
Around October 18th 2024, element corners were rounded, and the typeface of major elements besides advertisements which are based on images, was changed to Poppins, as opposed to the November 2021 typeface being Graphik Compact
SWRV
In February 2010, Music Choice launched SWRV (pronounced 'swerve'), a 24-hour interactive music video cable channel.[9] The network struggled to gain momentum and was eventually rebranded to Music Choice Play on October 15, 2013.[10] Music Choice Play was phased out by the start of 2016.
Subscription services
As of Fall 2021, Music Choice offers several subscription services which are available through the extended Internet-connected services of cable set-top boxes.
Music Choice Karaoke
A domestic karaoke service providing access to instrumental versions of popular songs sorted into playlists with sing-along lyrics.
Music Choice Relax
A service providing calming instrumentals and soothing nature imagery for the purposes of relaxation.
Music Choice+
A service exclusive to Xfinity, and Cox Communications providing immediate access to any song and/or album in the Music Choice library, along with playlist creation, device downloads, and song skipping abilities. As of April 29th 2025, Music Choice Plus is shutting down.[11]
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Legal issues
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Stingray
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In June 2016, Music Choice filed a lawsuit against Canada-based Stingray over patent infringement. The lawsuit occurred one month following the announcement that Comcast, half-owner of Music Choice, had chosen instead to offer Stingray Radio.[12]
Music Choice drew criticism with the lawsuit; Stingray responded:
"Given the significant inroads that Stingray has made in the U.S. market [Comcast expansion] with its industry-changing technology, Stingray believes that Music Choice’s complaint is without merit and primarily motivated by competitive concerns rather than a desire to protect its intellectual property."
Music Choice's lawsuit against Stingray disputed a number of U.S. Patents pertaining to the on screen formatting of Stingray Digital's music channels. On August 29, 2016, Stingray countersued Music Choice calling the patent lawsuit a "smear campaign".
Music Modernization Act opposition
In 2018, A2IM CEO Richard James Burgess accused Music Choice of trying to solicit artist and label support to deceive Congress into reducing artists royalties paid by Music Choice.[13] The criticism came as Music Choice publicly opposed the passage of the Music Modernization Act, which ultimately was signed into law on October 11, 2018.[14][circular reference]
SoundExchange
On April 10, 2019, SoundExchange filed a lawsuit against Music Choice for underpayment, following an audit of Music Choice's royalty statements.[15]
See also
References
External links
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