London-based Audoo has completed a groundbreaking song-tracking pilot in Denver, revealing significant discrepancies between music played in public venues versus popular streaming platforms.

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 logging.

Key findings from the Denver pilot:

• Minimal overlap between public venue plays and popular 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: >50%
• UK: ~15%
• Other countries (Australia, France, Germany, Sweden): Single-digit percentages

Most-played artists in Denver venues:

• Tame Impala
• Jungle
• Hozier
• Taylor Swift
• Morgan Wallen
• The Rolling Stones
• Fleetwood Mac
• Bad Bunny
• Zach Bryan
• Neil Frances

The study revealed unique patterns across different venue types. For example, Señor Bear restaurant features a distinct playlist comprising music from Argentina, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Spain, with 24% American music from local artists.

This data becomes particularly relevant as the US Copyright Office investigates PRO operations following Congressional concerns about performance tracking accuracy and royalty distribution. Audoo CEO Ryan Edwards advocates for comprehensive tracking, stating, "Nobody challenges paying for a music license... But knowing the hard-earned money is being paid to the artists they play is key."

The findings suggest that current assumptions about public performance plays mirroring streaming platforms may be inaccurate, potentially affecting proper royalty distribution to artists and rights holders.

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