In previous posts, we’ve examined the impact of streaming, which over the past ten years has become the dominant medium for music consumption, on artists. Simply put, one can now stream billions of songs on any number of streaming services for just $9.99 a month — what consumers used to spend on one CD or album download. At those rates, a severe drop in revenue is inevitable … [Read more...] about The Music Industrialist: New Nielsen Study
The Music Industrialist: Trump Signs MMA
Last Thursday, President Trump signed the Music Modernization Act into law, marking the end of a nearly year-long struggle in which songwriters and musicians rights groups repeatedly clashed with PROs and streaming services over the Act’s details. The Music Modernization Act is notable for its unanimous bipartisan support, and for many (including this writer), its signing will … [Read more...] about The Music Industrialist: Trump Signs MMA
The Music Industrialist: Political Expression in Music
A decision every aspiring musician faces as they build their career and brand is whether to publicly express or promote their personal political views. Commercially, it makes financial sense to refrain from doing so, as endorsing one political party or candidate may alienate fans who support another. A few recent and historic examples of politically active celebrity musicians … [Read more...] about The Music Industrialist: Political Expression in Music
The Music Industrialist: Gender Representation in the Music Industry
In America, music has long been a force for social and political progress, from Joe Hill’s union folk songs to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On to massive benefit concerts like Live Aid. Prominent left-leaning stars as diverse as Bruce Springsteen and Katy Perry have used their platform to advocate for various causes and political candidates. Despite the progressive views of most … [Read more...] about The Music Industrialist: Gender Representation in the Music Industry
The Music Industrialist: MMA Passes!
In what seemed to be yet another blow to the historic Music Modernization Act, satellite radio giant SiriusXM last week voiced objections to one of the bill’s key provisions, the CLASSICS Act, which closes the loophole on recordings dating from before 1972. Currently, satellite radio stations are not required to pay mechanical royalties on these recordings, threatening the … [Read more...] about The Music Industrialist: MMA Passes!