The Global Music Publishing Market Streaming Shifts the Conversation

The 20,000 Foot View: The effects of music streaming having supplanted both the download and the CD as the mainstream format for recorded music (accounting for            of total recorded revenue in 2018) are being keenly felt across the music publishing industry. The DNA of streaming consumption (playlists, lower mechanical royalties, less revenue on average for superstar catalogue) has firmly shifted the goal posts in market influence, meaning the position to drive the overall publishing market is increasingly up for grabs. 2018 music publisher market shares reveal where the change is most apparent across both companies and regions.

Key Findings

• Music publishing            grew by            year-on-year (YoY) in            to            billion in revenue
• Sony/ATV took            share in 2018, up from            previous year, registering the highest            publisher revenue growth at           
• UMPG had            share of global music publishing            in 2018, identical to its            in 2017
• Warner Chappell            a market share of           
• Sync’s share            publishing revenue was           
• The streaming-led            has haemorrhaged mechanical rights, which            by            from 2017 to            million            2018 publishing revenue
• Independents took            the            million in new music            revenue generated in 2018, while            took            Warner Chappell            and Sony/ATV           

Companies and brands mentioned in this report: BMG, Bucks Music, Downton Music Publishing, Kobalt, Peer Music, Reservoir Media, Roundhill Sony/ATV Publishing, Spotify, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell