Music & Copyright’s annual survey of the recorded-music and music publishing sectors has revealed the changes in global market share for the three major music groups and the independent sector. UMG remained the overall global music group leader last year, but for the third year in a row, second-placed SMG reduced the gap. UMG’s recorded-music share was down slightly for the third consecutive year, while SME has registered share growth for four straight years. WMG’s share fell back for a second year, and the independent sector’s share edged down after a modest rise in 2022. For publishing ..read more

The latest issue of Music & Copyright is now available for subscribers to download. Here are some of the highlights. SPECIAL FOCUS: New market share results reveal the recorded-music and music publishing winners and losers Music & Copyright’s annual survey of the recorded-music and music publishing sectors has revealed the changes in global market share for the three major music groups and the independent sector. UMG remained the overall global music group leader last year, but for the third year in a row, second-placed SMG reduced the gap. UMG’s recorded-music share was down slightly ..read more

The latest issue of Music & Copyright is now available for subscribers to download. Here are some of the highlights. SPECIAL FOCUS: Deal dollars keep on flowing despite troubles at Hipgnosis There are fears that the hectic buying and selling of music catalogs for hundreds of millions of dollars over the past few years represents a financial bubble. The ongoing difficulties of rights fund Hipgnosis have only enhanced those suspicions, while rising interest rates have also increased anxieties. But, while there have been instances of profit-taking, the funding for catalog deals remains health ..read more

The latest issue of Music & Copyright is now available for subscribers to download. Here are some of the highlights. SPECIAL FOCUS: IFPI reports a ninth consecutive year of increased recorded-music trade sales The international music trade body, the IFPI, has detailed another positive set of results for the global recorded-music sector. Digital and physical trade sales, along with performance rights and synchronization income, were up in 2023 for the third successive year. Streaming was again cited by the IFPI as the main growth provider, with combined revenue from subscriptions and audio ..read more

The latest issue of Music & Copyright is now available for subscribers to download. Here are some of the highlights. SPECIAL FOCUS: IPO report concludes that ER does not offer a simple solution to raising artists’ streaming income The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has published a report on the pros and cons of introducing equitable remuneration (ER) to on-demand music streams. Currently, ER is only paid to artists and performers when their works are broadcast on radio or performed publicly. The IPO was tasked with evaluating the impact of introducing ER to the investment environmen ..read more

The latest issue of Music & Copyright is now available for subscribers to download. Here are some of the highlights. SPECIAL FOCUS: Times get tougher for emerging artists, but there’s power in the fan base Emerging artists are having a harder time than ever at the start of this new year. Apple Music, Spotify, and Deezer have all tweaked their payment models in ways that mean those who generate few streams get less, or in some cases, nothing at all. However, it’s not all doom and gloom, and some financial easing could be on the way in the form of new musician-focused legislation. In additio ..read more

The latest issue of Music & Copyright is now available for subscribers to download. Here are some of the highlights. SPECIAL FOCUS: Music companies pivot toward lean strategies as part of tech transformation The recorded-music industry has been shedding jobs at pace over the past year, and staff-cutting programs are set to be the order of the day moving into 2024. Record companies are busy rationalizing their workforces, as are music streaming companies, with Spotify leading the layoffs charge. While such reorganizations are about trimming costs, they’re also about preparing companies for ..read more

The first issue of Music & Copyright for 2024 is now available for subscribers to download. Here are some of the highlights. SPECIAL FOCUS: Stability for SGAE with collection gains and a forecast of more to come. Spanish authors’ society SGAE is expecting a rise in collections this year after registering a better-than-expected set of results for 2023. Preliminary results for last year suggest total income was the highest for 15 years and was second only to the record year of 2010. Moreover, the society is expecting further growth this year with gains forecast for all the main collections s ..read more

The latest issue of Music & Copyright is now available for subscribers to download. Here are some of the highlights. SPECIAL FOCUS: The fair use claims and counterclaims of using copyrighted works to train generative AI systems Artificial intelligence (AI) and technology systems’ ability to create or recreate works without human input is a subject that is polarizing the views of rights holders and digital rights advocates. While the benefits to music production from the use of AI are clear, it is the training of generative AI systems through the use of copyrighted works that is setting opi ..read more

The latest issue of Music & Copyright is now available for subscribers to download. Here are some of the highlights. SPECIAL FOCUS: UAE tops Omdia’s inaugural Middle East recorded-music opportunity index Until very recently, the music business had registered little success from selling its wares in the Middle East region. But the climate looks to be changing, with optimism boosted by the arrival and take-up of music streaming services. Moreover, record companies have expanded their operations across the region, in most cases as part of alliances with local partners. Although the prospects ..read more