As weakening antitrust laws and consolidation of businesses continue, virtually every corner of the music industry is now controlled by a choice few companies, whether its streaming or live music, writes Will Meyer. Here he explores why these monopolies must be taken seriously. ______________________________ Guest post by Will Meyer of…
Category archives: Major Labels
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…
Marvin Gaye Estate Wins $5.3M ‘Blurred Lines’ Appeal
A US appeals court let stand a $5.3 million judgment awarded to the Marvin Gaye estate over infringement of Gaye’s 1977 song ‘Got To Give It Up,’ by songwriters Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams on their 2013 hit ‘Blurred Lines’. By a 2-1 vote, the US Appeals Court said Gaye’s…
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…
43 Years In, Judas Priest Storms The Charts
More than 43 years after the band’s inception, Judas Priest is riding an unprecedented wave of chart success with its 18th studio album, Fire Power. The album is their first Top 10 entry in the U.K. in 39 years, debuting at No. 5, according to Music Week. It charted at…
Bootleggers Find New Home On Spotify [Chris Castle]
After a suspicious incident where what appeared to be bootlegs of R&B artist Aaliyah appeared on Spotify, evidence is building that bootleggers are now taking advantage of streaming service’s lack of policing. ___________________________ Guest post by Chris Castle of Music, Technology, Policy Vanessa Okoth-Obbo’s eye-opening and must-read post about possible…
Lyor Cohen @ SXSW On YouTube, Music Industry Renaissance [WATCH]
Speaking at SXSW, YouTube Head Of Music Lyor Cohen was his usual bullish self predicting the future of the music industry. "The industry is going to return and grow by ads and subscriptions. People are willing to pay, and we’ll convert them to paid subscriptions," said Cohen.
Miley Cyrus Sued For $300M Over Hit ‘We Can’t Stop’ [Listen and Compare]
Miley Cyrus has been sued for $300 million by a Jamaican artist because her 2013 song “We Can’t Stop” allegedly sounds a lot like the 1998 reggae song “We Run Things.” Michael May, aka Flourgon, says his song reached No. 1 in his home country and has been “a favorite…
How The Copyright Stranglehold Dooms Spotify [Op-Ed]
Legacy entertainment companies have a long and sordid history of burying innovation and applying a stranglehold to companies which create new services in accordance with consumers’ contemporary desires, a pattern which may soon repeat with Spotify, writes Mike Masnick of Techdirt. _______________________ Guest post by Mike Masnick of Techdirt For…