That's a big issue in the music industry, where sales of downloaded music are falling while streaming is surging. Many musicians resent those services for offering what artists consider a tiny cut of streaming revenue. For artists like Akon, this kind of independent digital route offers other major advantages - among them, sidestepping Spotify, Pandora and their ilk. It's not a bad deal for Akon junkies it lets them stream otherwise unavailable new music legally from their smartphones. "It's going to take someone like me to take the chance on it." "It's going to definitely regenerate the music business," Akon said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, calling his app "the answer" to the music industry's problems.
![stadium akon album stadium akon album](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/democratherald.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/e5/1e5ffd0d-84be-50a7-9f16-e645ba0d8adf/5cee9bec1cc81.image.jpg)
And, of course, to unlock more songs and unreleased videos.
![stadium akon album stadium akon album](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CKbvDChVEAAB920.jpg)
But interacting with the app by clicking the ads or sharing with friends on Facebook will earn users credits they can use to "buy" digital goods such as ringtones, wallpapers and Akon-styled emoji. The new app, called Stadium, will let fans stream Akon songs for free, although they'll have to put up with ads. Instead, he plans to release four albums through a new app, making him the latest artist to experiment with bypassing big record labels and traditional music distribution altogether. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Akon, a hip-hop star who's collaborated with everyone from Eminem to Andy Samberg, is about to release his first albums in seven years - but you won't find them in stores or on streaming services like Spotify.