Blog: Streaming Music

Read our latest daily deep dives, hot takes, and exciting updates about the entertainment world. Check out the latest insight from your favourite analyst, or search by coverage areas - music, entertainment and fandom, creator economy and social.

The music industry’s weakest link: Getting from A to B

Cover image for The music industry’s weakest link: Getting from A to B
Tatiana Cirisano
Business Strategy
Fandom
Artists
Key insights from this blog: The music industry is missing a key step when it comes to supporting and growing artists As the landscape of the industry has changed, most notably a loss of a mainstream monoculture, the traditional ways of discovery and promotion no longer work for new and smaller artists To combat this, the music industry must change its ways – including shifting towards a scenes-based strategy put forward by MIDiA “Super premium” streaming tiers, special-edition vinyl, and direct-to-fan revenue streams all have one thing in common – and no, it is not just that they are about monetising fandom.
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What got you here won’t get you there: how Spotify built a new business

Cover image for What got you here won’t get you there: how Spotify built a new business
Mark Mulligan
Business Strategy
Spotify
Streaming
Since its inception, Spotify has been, and continues to be, the streaming music market’s lightning rod. This is due to its continued ability to maintain leading market share and the fact it is the only leading global DSP that is independent and therefore has to focus place more focus on commercial sustainability than peers owned by global tech superpowers.
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Spotify re-positions two-tier licensing (we are getting closer, and it can be even better)

Cover image for Spotify re-positions two-tier licensing (we are getting closer, and it can be even better)
Mark Mulligan
Two tier licensing
Streaming Royalties
Streaming
Spotify released a blog post laying out how it wants the world to understand its new two-tier royalty system. The positioning is clear, leading with the statement that it will drive “an additional $1 billion toward[s] emerging and professional artists” and the PR push included several supporting quotes from the independent sector (with no major label quote to be seen).
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The music industry obsesses over artist performance statistics – where are label performance statistics?

Cover image for The music industry obsesses over artist performance statistics – where are label performance statistics?
Keith Jopling
Streaming Music
music industry
Music
One of the watchwords in labels recently has been a focus on the ‘value proposition’ for artists, and it is easy to see why. In the streaming and social age, where independent self-releasing artists can get their music out into the world without a label, why should they sign to one at all? Up until even recently it was clear, for both majors and for indies.
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Everyone hurts – the problem with ‘fixing’ streaming

Cover image for Everyone hurts – the problem with ‘fixing’ streaming
Mark Mulligan
Streaming Royalties
Streaming economics
Streaming Music
Everyone hurts – the problem with ‘fixing’ streaming Apple’s Q4 2022 revenue fall was further illustration that the global economic environment is affecting everyone. During such times, companies look for ways to avoid the worst of the impacts, partially through ‘efficiencies’ but also through growth, by exploring new income streams and improving deal terms.
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