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CISAC 2020 Report: Global Publishing Collections Fell 10.7% Last Year
That 10.7% overall decline for music, however, was “considerably less disastrous than was foreseen one year ago,” as Oron observed, while TV and radio — still the largest sources of income for collection management organizations — declined less than expected due to a resilient economy. At the front-end of the COVID-19 pandemic, CISAC was anticipating a 25%-30% decline in collections for 2020, based on estimate reports then from member organizations, Oron tells Billboard. As well, “digital collections have managed to mitigate the fall in other income sources in many countries,” Oron said. “The surge of digital collections globally is a tribute to the efforts of CISAC societies to change strategy, shift resources and step up digital licensing activit...
Primary Wave Signs Expansive Deal With Luther Vandross Estate
As a multi-hyphenate musical talent who worked in the industry as a background singer, artist, producer and writer for over three decades, Vandross’s new deal with Primary Wave includes cuts of publishing and master recording income from his production work for Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Dionne Warwick. The deal also includes many of his top tracks from his own artist career, including “Never Too Much,” the titular single from his 1981 album which earned a no. 1 spot on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and his cover “Endless Love,” featuring Mariah Carey, “Here and Now,” and “Dance With My Father.” Born in 1951, New York-raised Vandross began his career when he was still in grade school, singing at Harlem’...
New Bill in Congress Would Empower Indie Artists to Negotiate for Better Streaming Rates
“Through the pandemic, streaming services became even more indispensable, allowing us to enjoy the music we love, even when live performances were shut down. But with the exponentially increasing market power of a few tech platforms, the voices of independent musicians are getting harder to hear,” said Deutch in a statement. “By empowering a more diverse chorus of voices to negotiate fair terms and rates for their music, the Protecting Working Musicians Act recognizes the fundamental value of music and gives working artists a fair shot.” “The power imbalance must be addressed by Congress so that creators and independent labels can band together to fight for fair compensation and against anti-competitive schemes that devalue music,” said A2IM president/CEO Richard Bur...
Esports Platform FaZe Clan Going Public in $1 Billion SPAC Deal
“We are thrilled to announce this important milestone of FaZe Clan’s plans to enter the public market,” Trink said in a statement announcing the move. “In our short history, we have evolved from a disruptive content generator to one of the world’s most decorated and successful esports franchises, and now into one of the younger generations’ most recognized and followed brands globally. We believe FaZe Clan is becoming the voice of youth culture, a brand that sits at the nexus of content, gaming, entertainment and lifestyle in the digital-native world. This transaction will provide us capital and access to the public markets, which will help us accelerate the expansion of our multi-platform and monetization strategy.” The deal, subject to approval by the boards of both FaZ...
Pandemic Strips Over $1B From Australia’s Live Entertainment Sector: Report
This “significant decline can be primarily attributed to COVID-19 restrictions,” explains the report, noting major tours from the likes of Pink, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry in 2018, and visits by U2 and Eminem in 2019, were absent from the touring calendar last year, as all three levels of government ordered the shutdown of gathering places to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. In a crippled market, “Contemporary Music,” a category that includes rock, pop and hip-hop concerts, was the largest genre, accounting for 51% of revenue, and, combined with festivals comprised 60% of total industry revenue and 43% of attendances. Don’t expect the data for 2021 to bring any cheer to the live business. The impacts of COVID-19 this year may be even greater, ...
There’s No More Country Radio in NYC — Will It Ever Come Back?
Cumulus Media launched WNSH in New York in 2013, ending a decade-long gap in country radio programming there after WYNY-FM flipped to Spanish contemporary in 2002. Audacy (formerly Entercom) took over WNSH in 2019. In September, WNSH ranked 21st in the New York marketing, pulling in a 1.9% share of the local market, according to Nielsen Media. Its highest share over the past six months had been 2.5 in July. “Clearly, Audacy saw a better opportunity with a different format. You can’t blame them for that,” says Joel Raab, country radio station and media consultant. “There’s a 2 share for country in New York if you just put it on and if you heavily market it, I think there’s a 3 share unless you put on personalities who appeal beyond the country format.” WNSH’s departure from terre...
Google Play Cuts Fees for Subscription-Based Apps, Including Streaming Services
Music streaming services like Spotify — which has been a vocal critic of the service fees charged by Apple’s App Store specifically — will now be “eligible” for a service fee as low as 10%, Samat writes, though he refrained from laying out eligibility requirements in the post. That benefit will extend to ebooks, which was folded into Google Play’s “Media Experience program” earlier this year alongside on-demand music streamers. Samat adds that the fee cut was being implemented “to better accommodate differences in these categories,” for which “content costs account for the majority of sales.” “The new rates recognize industry economics of media content verticals and make Google Play work better for developers and the communities of artists, musicians and authors they represent,...
Google Play Cuts Fees for Subscription-Based Apps, Including Streaming Services
Music streaming services like Spotify — which has been a vocal critic of the service fees charged by Apple’s App Store specifically — will now be “eligible” for a service fee as low as 10%, Samat writes, though he refrained from laying out eligibility requirements in the post. That benefit will extend to ebooks, which was folded into Google Play’s “Media Experience program” earlier this year alongside on-demand music streamers. Samat adds that the fee cut was being implemented “to better accommodate differences in these categories,” for which “content costs account for the majority of sales.” “The new rates recognize industry economics of media content verticals and make Google Play work better for developers and the communities of artists, musicians and authors they represent,...
Spotify Promotes Sulinna Ong to Global Head of Editorial
During her time at Spotify, Ong — the daughter of a Persian mother and a Chinese father who fled the Iranian revolution when she was a baby — has helped launch the streamer’s RADAR emerging artist program, which has spotlighted artists including Griff, Park Hye Jin, Joy Crookes and Young T & Bugsey. Prior to Spotify, Ong served as global vp and head of marketing at rival streaming service Deezer for two-and-a-half years, working directly with labels and content creators. She kicked off her music career in 2004, when she was hired as an international marketing manager, artist development at Sony BMG Music. She later worked in a variety of artist management and marketing roles at The Family Entertainment, Live Nation, Silver Horse Entertainment and app developer WholeWor...
Spotify Promotes Sulinna Ong to Global Head of Editorial
During her time at Spotify, Ong — the daughter of a Persian mother and a Chinese father who fled the Iranian revolution when she was a baby — has helped launch the streamer’s RADAR emerging artist program, which has spotlighted artists including Griff, Park Hye Jin, Joy Crookes and Young T & Bugsey. Prior to Spotify, Ong served as global vp and head of marketing at rival streaming service Deezer for two-and-a-half years, working directly with labels and content creators. She kicked off her music career in 2004, when she was hired as an international marketing manager, artist development at Sony BMG Music. She later worked in a variety of artist management and marketing roles at The Family Entertainment, Live Nation, Silver Horse Entertainment and app developer WholeWor...
IMPALA Unveils First Annual Diversity & Inclusion Report
Highlights outlined in the first annual report include a pair of diversity and inclusion training sessions for members, the release of the first D&I survey for independent music businesses during European Diversity Month in May and the appointment of diversity advocates on all IMPALA committees. The organization also launched a D&I task force advised by music manager and consultant Keith Harris OBE and co-chaired by Eva Karman Reinhold of Swedish indie label association SOM and Paul Pacifico of the U.K.’s Association of Independent Music (AIM). Below is a more detailed look at the report. Surveys: The ongoing D&I survey process is being conducted with two classes: IMPALA member businesses and associations. The separate surveys were designed to incorporate the protect...
APRA AMCOS Powers to Record Revenue, Despite Impact of COVID-19
The results are published in the APRA AMCOS’s Year In Review. On closer look, the APRA AMCOS financial year is a reflection of the two-speed music economy, one where digital is thriving, and those portfolios engaged with live entertainment — including public performance income and background music royalties — are in the doldrums. Those banner results, say the organization, belies “the financial hardship affecting local music creators” whose livelihoods have been crushed by the pandemic. With millions of music fans stuck at home, the brightest spot was streaming. Thanks to audio streaming services and on-demand services, digital revenue was essentially “pandemic proof,” according to a statement accompanying the PRO’s full-year financial results. Digital income grew during the pe...
