CMU Digest

CMU Digest 15.07.19: MLC, Live Nation, Music Declares Emergency, Spotify, BBC

By | Published on Monday 15 July 2019

US Congress

The key stories from the last week in the music business…

The US Copyright Office confirmed it had appointed the Mechanical Licensing Collective to run the new mechanical rights collecting society instigated by America’s Music Modernization Act. The MLC proposal was backed by trade bodies like the National Music Publishers’ Association, the Nashville Songwriters Association International and the Songwriters Of North America. The collective will now be charged with the task of setting up a new system to process the mechanical royalties paid by streaming services to songwriters and publishers. [READ MORE]

The UK competition regulator said it had concerns about Live Nation’s plans to acquire Irish concert promoter MCD. This despite it being bought by the live giant’s joint venture with Gaiety, the current owner of MCD. The Competition & Markets Authority said it had concerns about the potential impact of the deal on the Northern Irish music market. Live Nation will be hoping that it can allay those concerns by making a number of voluntary commitments, in the same way it dealt with issues raised by the Irish regulator, which last week approved the acquisition. [READ MORE]

A wide assortment of UK music companies signed up to a new campaign calling for urgent and significant action over climate change. A long list of artists are also supporting Music Declares Emergency, which is calling on governments around the world to “act now to reverse biodiversity loss and reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2030”. The new grouping is also urging its supporters to ensure that their own businesses are “ecologically sustainable and regenerative”. [READ MORE]

Spotify launched a new lite version of its Android app. It is a smaller, simpler and faster version of its main app aimed at those with older phones or operating systems, or patchy network connectivity and limited mobile data. The new app went live in 36 markets, with the focus on countries in Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. [READ MORE]

The BBC appointed its first Controller Of Pop Music. The role will be filled by Lorna Clarke, who has worked on a wide range of music and radio projects since joining the Corporation in 1997. The Beeb announced plans to create the role earlier this year saying “this is a great opportunity for the pop music stations to work more closely together and for the BBC to maintain its effective voice with the music industry”. Radios 1, 2, 1Xtra, 6 Music and Asian Network, plus BBC Music and the broadcaster’s music TV commissioners, will report into Clarke. [READ MORE]



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