London-based Audoo has completed an extensive song-tracking pilot in Denver, revealing groundbreaking insights about music played in public venues. Their findings challenge common assumptions about public performance tracking and royalty distribution.

The study, conducted from June 2024 to February 2025, tracked hundreds of venues across Denver using Audoo's 'Audio Meter' technology, achieving nearly 100% accuracy in song detection and metadata capture.

Key findings include:

• Minimal overlap between public venue plays and popular streaming platforms:
  • Apple Music: 0% crossover
  • Billboard: 2.5% crossover
  • Shazam: 5% crossover
  • Spotify: 5% crossover
  • TikTok: 0% crossover

Geographic origin of played music:

• United States: Over 50%
• UK: Nearly 15%
• Other countries (Australia, France, Germany, Sweden): Single-digit percentages

Top 10 most-played artists in Denver venues:

1. Tame Impala
2. Jungle
3. Hozier
4. Taylor Swift
5. Morgan Wallen
6. The Rolling Stones
7. Fleetwood Mac
8. Bad Bunny
9. Zach Bryan
10. Neil Frances

The study reveals significant disparities between what's played in public venues versus what's trending on streaming platforms. This data comes at a crucial time as the US Copyright Office investigates PRO operations following Congressional concerns about performance tracking accuracy and royalty distribution.

Audoo CEO Ryan Edwards emphasizes that technology now exists to track every public music performance accurately, potentially revolutionizing how performance royalties are distributed to artists and rights holders.

The study showcases unique venue patterns, like Señor Bear restaurant's Latin-inspired playlist featuring music from Argentina, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Spain, with 24% American music from local artists.

This comprehensive tracking system could significantly impact how billions in performance royalties are distributed, potentially providing more accurate compensation for artists whose music is played in public spaces.

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