Headlines April 2024
| April 2024 | |
| INDEX | |
BIEM, ITS MEMBERS AND SISTER ORGANISATIONS - Go to Section ▼
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| BIEM, ITS MEMBERS AND SISTER ORGANISATIONS | |
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Artificial Intelligence – SUISA is committed to securing fair remuneration for its members
SUISA, 11 March 2024 SUISA ensures fair compensation for members' music used in AI training by informing providers that its catalogue works require a valid license for text and data mining, safeguarding authors' rights in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Copyright fees could only increase below inflation Dalszerzo, 20 March 2024 In 2023, Artisjus paid nearly HUF 12 billion in royalties to song and music authors, showing nominal growth. However, inflation has decreased the real value, falling below 2020 pre-pandemic levels. Digital royalties saw a significant increase, surpassing HUF 1.2 billion in 2023. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ A revised charter for more Swiss music on SRG channels SUISA, 22 March 2024 On March 14, 2024, SRG SSR signed a Swiss Music Charter with nine music sector representatives. The aim is to promote Swiss music and talents across all SRG channels, enhancing visibility for Swiss music. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ SOCAN achieves half-billion dollar revenue milestone SOCAN Magazine, 27 March 2024 In 2023, SOCAN achieved a historic milestone, surpassing half a billion dollars in annual revenue, with a record distribution of $442 million to music creators and publishers. Revenue grew to approximately $523 million, an eight percent increase from 2022, driven by digital, international sources, and return-to-normal activities in General Licensing and Concerts. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ JASRAC reappoints Mr. Tetsuya String as Chairman Musicman, 1 April 2024 Tetsuya String has been re-elected as JASRAC president for his second term, effective April 1, with a term ending March 31, 2026. Previously, he served five terms as a councillor, three terms as a director, and chaired the Distribution Committee. Directors and auditors will be elected at the annual general meeting on June 26. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ | |
| ROYALTY & COPYRIGHT | |
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Music royalties trading platform JKBX launches – with regulatory approval from the SEC
Music Business Worldwide, 6 March 2024 JKBX has secured SEC qualification for its assets, enabling legal purchase of royalty shares in hit songs via JKBX.com. Previously, users could only reserve shares pending qualification. As of March 6, investors, including retail ones, can purchase stakes in songs by superstar songwriters and artists on the platform. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Cox, record labels duel over billion-dollar US copyright verdict Reuters, 6 March 2024 Cox Communications and major record labels, including Universal, Warner, and Sony, are seeking a rehearing of a $1 billion copyright verdict won by labels against Cox four years ago. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently deemed the amount unjustified. Labels claim Cox waived arguments against the award, while Cox contends it shouldn't be held liable. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Universal Music settles rock artists' US copyright lawsuit Reuters, 20 March 2024 Rock musicians from the 1970s and 80s, including members of bands like The Dickies and The Dream Syndicate, have settled a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) regarding copyright reclamation attempts. Both parties entered a confidential settlement agreement, as stated in a filing to dismiss the case in New York federal court. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ TikTok rapper must pay Sony Music more than $800K over unlicensed sample, judge rules Billboard, 27 March 2024 A federal judge has ruled that TikTok rapper, Trefuego, must pay Sony Music over $800,000 for unauthorized use of a copyrighted sample in his song "90mh." Sony sued him in 2021 for using a sample from a 1986 Japanese instrumental track. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ UK music licensing company PPL distributed $24m to performers and rightsholders in Q1 Music Business Worldwide, 28 March 2024 UK-based music licensing body PPL has reported a strong start to 2024, with a 7% increase in payouts to performers and recording rightsholders, totalling £18.8 million in the first quarter. Over 22,000 artists benefited from this distribution, serving as a crucial income source for performers and labels, contributing to their financial stability. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ |
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| NEW MEDIA | |
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Warner Music and tips industries limited expand their partnership WMG, 1 March 2024 Warner Music has expanded its partnership with Indian label Tips Industries Limited (Tips Music) after three successful years. Warner Music has been exclusively distributing Tips Music's Hindi catalogue since 2020, aiding in global exposure for Bollywood soundtracks. The new agreement extends Warner Music's commercial and distribution responsibilities to all of Tips Music's music, spanning 23 Indian languages and 30,000+ songs. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ EU fine wipes $78bn off Apple’s valuation Telegraph, 4 March 2024 Apple lost $78bn in market value after being fined €1.8bn by the EU for anticompetitive practices, favouring its music service. Shares fell 2.9% due to raising music streaming prices and restricting rivals like Spotify. EU's Vestager accused Apple of abusing dominance for a decade, hindering competition. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Pathways Into Music launches free program for music educators Music Business Worldwide, 5 March 2024 The Pathways Into Music Foundation, a non-profit aiming to link music education with the industry, has introduced "Understanding The Pathways Into Music." This initiative assists music educators, including teachers and tutors, by providing knowledge and resources to guide aspiring musicians. Music education hub and talent development staff are also encouraged to participate. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Spotify to increase subscription price in France to counter new music-streaming tax TechCrunch, 7 March 2024 Spotify plans to raise subscription fees in France due to a new tax on music-streaming services. The tax, effective January 1, imposes a 1.2% levy on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, with proceeds supporting the French music sector through CNM. Spotify, being the largest player affected by the tax, has opposed the law most vehemently. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Warner Music South East Europe acquires a minority stake in NIKA WMG, 8 March 2024 Warner Music South East Europe (WM SEE) has obtained a minority share in Slovenian label NIKA. NIKA, distributed by ADA, Warner Music's service arm, boasts over 11,000 songs, including works by notable artists like Big Foot Mama and Siddharta. This partnership expands Warner's reach, introducing NIKA's roster to a global audience. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Indie Music Publishers Association criticizes TikTok, but tells members to decide ‘what is best for their business’ before joining boycott Variety, 11 March 2024 Amid the escalating feud between Universal Music Group and TikTok, the Association of Independent Music Publishers suggests fairer payments, advocating for a per-stream payment policy similar to other streaming platforms. While emphasizing the importance of compensating songwriters and publishers, it advises members to prioritize their business interests over TikTok's offerings. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Deezer deleted 26 million tracks to improve user experience Dalszerzo, 18 March 2024 Deezer has removed 26 million tracks from its catalogue since September, focusing on eliminating non-musical content and noise. CEO Jeronimo Folgueira emphasizes the importance of providing users with meaningful music, stating that flooding platforms with irrelevant audio degrades the user experience. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Universal invests in best-known superfan app, Warner develops its own Dalszerzo, 28 March 2024 HYBE's Weverse, a popular platform for fan communities, has entered into a 10-year deal with Universal Music Group (UMG). The agreement covers the distribution of HYBE's Korean performers, among other things, with UMG investing in Weverse and planning promotional and marketing campaigns in the U.S. Meanwhile, Warner has assembled a team of developers and is expected to launch its own superfan app later this year. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Universal Music Group and Spotify expand strategic relationship with social music features MusicWeek, 28 March 2024 Universal Music Group and Spotify are expanding their partnership to boost music discovery and fan engagement. As part of the agreement, Spotify will introduce new promotional and social features for UMG artists, allowing them to share teasers and music videos to enhance fan interaction and pre-save activity, amplifying buzz around new releases. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ |
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| AI IN MUSIC | |
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European Union passes ‘World First’ AI legislation that would safeguard copyrighted music Billboard, 13 March 2024 The European Parliament has approved sweeping laws governing artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe, including regulations on using copyrighted music. The EU's Artificial Intelligence Act covers various AI applications like biometric surveillance. MEPs voted overwhelmingly in favour, solidifying the legislation's passage into law after its provisional approval in December. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Generative AI and copyright - IFRRO participates in events in Berlin and London IFRRO, 18 March 2024 The IFRRO has attended a series of recent events in Berlin and London to address copyright issues surrounding AI technology. During these events, the IFRRO has participated in discussions with experts such as Dr Hayleigh Bosher (Brunel University London) and Professor Eleonora Rosati (Stockholm University), among many others, highlighting the need for holistic approaches and the role of licensing in AI-generated content. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ BPI threatens to sue Jammable over its AI voice cloning services iMusician, 26 March 2024 Jammable, a UK voice cloning service, has received a warning from the BPI to remove voices of various artists from its platform or risk facing legal action. Jammable’s catalogue includes voices of celebrities like Tupac Shakur and Adele, enabling users to essentially create cover versions of songs. Such covers have gained popularity on platforms like TikTok and in the meme community. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ United Nations AI Advisory Body submission by IFRRO IFRRO, 2 April 2024 The IFRRO has submitted comments to the UN AI Advisory Body Interim Report, emphasizing the need for international norms to align with AI development. The report proposes enhancing international governance to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advocates for accountability and equitable representation for all countries. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ |
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| OFFLINE | |
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+6.3%: Music industry in Germany continued to grow in 2023 Musik Industrie, 6 March 2024 The German music industry saw growth in 2023, reaching €2.21 billion in sales. Digital revenue accounted for 81.5%, with audio streaming driving a 7.9% increase. Vinyl sales surged by 12.6%, stabilizing the physical market at 18.5%, while CD sales declined by 5.9% but remained the second-largest segment at 11.3%. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Roberto Neri announced as Chief Executive Officer of The Ivors Academy Ivors Academy, 7 March 2024 Roberto Neri has been named as the new CEO of The Ivors Academy, starting April 15, succeeding interim CEO Charlie Phillips. With over 20 years of experience, Neri previously served as CEO of Believe's publishing arm, representing over 400,000 songwriters and composers worldwide. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ France and Spain recorded music markets both grew in 2023 Musically, 13 March 2024 According to the SNEP, France's music market grew by 5.1% in 2023, reaching €968m. Streaming subscription revenues rose by 10%, but the SNEP has warned this is insufficient for market growth. France has 12 million music-streaming subscriptions, with 16% penetration. Promusicae states that Spain's market grew by 12.3% to €520m, with six million premium subscribers, but noted lower penetration compared to other markets. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ UK recorded music revenue up to £1.4 billion in 2023 as key releases drive physical sales in Q1 MusicWeek, 14 March 2024 UK recorded music revenue rose by 8.1% to £1.43 billion in 2023, as reported by the BPI, marking the ninth consecutive year of growth, surpassing 2022's 4.7% growth. The increase is attributed to record labels' substantial investments in artist support, including A&R, marketing, and promotion. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Tencent Music profits reach $735 million, despite revenue decline Variety, 19 March 2024 In 2023, Tencent Music Entertainment, China's top digital music company, reported a 36% increase in net profits, reaching $735 million, despite a 2% revenue decline to $3.91 billion. Fourth-quarter profits totalled $198 million from $971 million in revenue, marking a 7% decrease. The decline came as the company transitioned free users to paying subscribers, despite a drop in monthly active users. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ IFPI Global Music Report: Global recorded music revenues grew 10.2% in 2023 IFPI, 21 March 2024 IFPI has reported a 10.2% rise in global recorded music revenues in 2023, largely fuelled by paid streaming subscriber growth. Total trade revenues hit $28.6 billion, marking the industry's ninth consecutive year of growth, as per IFPI's Global Music Report released today. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ MUSIC: The Italian record market rises by 18.8% in 2023 FIMI, 21 March 2024 In 2023, the Italian record market experienced significant growth of 18.8%, reaching a turnover of €440 million. Italy has shown notable vitality in its music market, positioning as the EU's third largest market. This aligns with global trends, as IFPI's Global Music Report notes a 10.2% increase to $28.6 billion, marking nine consecutive years of growth. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Canada’s music market grew by 12.2% in 2023 to a total of US$660 million, 8th largest globally Music Canada, 21 March 2024 The growth was driven by a 10.1% increase in streaming, which includes an 8.4% increase in subscription streaming to US$380.6 million, and 16.1% and 16.9% gains in ad-supported audio streaming and ad-supported video streaming, respectively. Physical format revenue increased by 6.5% in 2022 to a total of US$68 million, the 7th highest ranking in the world. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Dropping the Needle: Shaping culture by manipulating the Billboard charts Westside Seattle, 22 March 2024 The integrity of Billboard charts is questioned due to Penske Media Group's ownership of Nielsen Soundscan (now Luminate) and Billboard. This consolidation grants control over data and chart distribution, potentially influencing music industry trends and success metrics, raising concerns about manipulation. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ 2023 Year-end music industry revenue report | RIAA RIAA, 26 March 2024 According to the RIAA 2023 Year-End Music Industry Revenue Report, U.S. recorded music revenues sustained strong growth for the eighth straight year, reaching a record $17.1 billion at estimated retail value, an 8% increase. Streaming remained the primary growth driver, with record engagement in paid subscriptions, ad-supported revenue growth, and contributions from new platforms. At wholesale value, revenues surged 7% to a record $11 billion. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Japan Music Market: Japan’s short-term growth of music sales belies decades of decline International Trade Administration, 31 March 2024 According to the most recent statistics published by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), Japan’s music market value hit 307 billion yen ($2.4 billion) in 2022, a 9% increase from the previous year, driven primarily by a 17% surge in digital music sales. However, Japan's music sales have seen a long-term decline since 2007, with predictions suggesting it may soon fall to fifth place globally. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ |
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| FIGHT AGAINST PIRACY | |
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X partially defeats music piracy liability claims in Nashville federal court
TorrentFreak, 6 March 2024 Elon Musk's X secured an initial victory in a Nashville federal court against a copyright complaint filed by several record labels. Judge Trauger dismissed direct and vicarious infringement claims but upheld contributory infringement claims, meaning that X can potentially still be held liable for not adequately addressing repeat copyright violations. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ |
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