Music Rights Disruption The Transparency Agenda

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The 20,000 Foot View: Music rights have never been simple but now the complexity is reaching such a level that the digital music marketplace is beginning to buckle under the strain. With growing demand across the board for increased transparency, effectiveness and speed, the music rights landscape is facing an unprecedented period of innovation and disruption. Traditional incumbents and technology companies alike are all pursuing their own solutions to what is in fact an intertwined mesh of challenges. Right now, the result is paradoxically more complex, not less.

Key Findings

• Increased reporting and transparency expectations from artists and songwriters, and changing regulatory environments are catalysing music rights innovation
• Global music publishing revenues grew by        million        in 2016 to reach        billion
• Music publishing revenues were        larger in 2016 than 2012, compared to        growth for recorded music over the same period 
• Declining mechanical royalties focused publishers’ attentions on streaming
• Independent publishers accounted for        of publishing revenues in 2016, up from        in 2012
• Companies like Kobalt and BMG Music Rights are driving innovation, competing across as both labels and music publishers
• There are five types of rights disruptors: next gen music companies, established alternatives, music service pivots, news disruptors and PRO innovators
• Following the failure of the Global Repertoire Database there is now a music database arms race
• Collection societies are facing intensified competition from commercial rights management companies
• Google could potentially use YouTube to pioneer a unified music right

Companies and brands mentioned in this report:        ADA, AMRA, AMSGE, Apple, Audiam, Blackstone Capital, BMAT, BMG Music Rights, Caroline, Cooking Vinyl, Downtown Music, Dubsmash, Epidemic Sounds, Essential Music, Fintage House, GEMA, Google, HFA, Jukedeck, Kobalt, Medianet, Musical.ly, Music Reports Inc, Ninja Tune, Platoon, PRSfM, RED, Rights Flow, Rumblefish, SESAC, Socan, Sony ATV, Sony Music, Soundreef, Spotify, SUISA, The European Commission, Twitter, Universal Music, Universal Music Publishing, Warner Chappell, Warner Music, WARP, YouTube