Category archives: Indie Labels

Instrumental Raises $4M For TalentAI, WMG Buys Sodatone As Data Driven A&R Takes Center Stage

UK based A&R data platform Instrumental has added $4 million in funding and Warner Music Group announced it has acquired A&R insights startup Sodatone, as data and machine learning become primary drivers of who gets a deal and how label resources are allocated. Instrumental’s new round was led by London…

When To Consider Signing With A Label

While many artists struggling to make it in the music industry may be under the impression that signing with a label is their holy grail, the reality is that signing is only beneficial some of the time, and that having the backing of a label can sometimes do more harm…

BMG Revenue Jumps 21.8%

BMG Rights Management (BMG) reported revenue €507/US $629 million, up from €416/US $516 million last year, an impressive improvement of 21.8% over 2016. Parent company Bertelsmann, attributed BMG’s performance to higher revenues across all market segments and regions through organic growth and acquisition, especially in the recorded music business and…

Music Is "On The Move" says RIAA Chief Cary Sherman

A new RIAA report shows that the recorded music business in the U.S. grew for the second consecutive year in 2017, driven largely by streaming revenue. RIAA chief Cary Sherman dug into the numbers to share what they means, including some areas that need improvement. ________________________________ By Cary Sherman, Chairman…

Music Industry Revenue Up 16.5% In 2017, says RIAA

The U.S. recorded music business grew for the second consecutive year in 2017, driven largely by a 56% increase to 35 million paid music subscriptions, according to the RIAA’s 2017 year-end music industry revenue report. Overall, recorded music saw a 16.5% increase in retail revenue to $8.7 billion, of which…

5 Steps To Build Hype Before A Release

The process of putting together a release can be intense and exciting, and once your material is finally ready for release, you naturally want to build up as much hype as possible before the drop. Here we look at five key ways to get fans salivating for your new material….

Smart Speakers Will Drive Music Consumption, Industry Growth says New Report

[UPDATED] A new report authored by Music Ally’s Stuart Dredge for label trade BPI and the Entertainment Retailers Association [ERA] looks at how voice-controlled smart speakers are transforming how fans engage with music. ____________________________________________ The new report, “Everybody’s Talkin’ – Smart Speakers and their impact on music consumption” looks at…

Mona Fimreite Named Orchard’s International Sales And Marketing Director, Europe

The Orchard has appointed Mona Fimreite to lead its European Marketing and Sales team. She joins from Phonofile, where she led marketing. Fimreite will now work with the sales and marketing teams is The Orchard’s 10 offices in the region. “Mona’s analytical approach, combined with her passion for music and…

Independent Labels See International Bonanza

Global indie licensor Merlin delivered some great news to the independent label community Thursday, and all of it was centered on international growth. Explosive Growth In Latin America Merlin’s 2017 Latin American earnings increase five-fold in three years US member labels see streaming revenues from LATAM territories almost double as…