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First One Step Ahead report and webinar puts the spotlight on playlists
By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 7 December 2020
IMPALA and CMU Insights last week published the first One Step Ahead report, providing an in depth overview of playlists and curation in the streaming music market. Later this week there will be a webinar for IMPALA members featuring a speed briefing summary of the report and a discussion of the key talking points that it raises.
One Step Ahead is a new digital intelligence facility from IMPALA that sets out to enable independent music companies across Europe to navigate and identify trends, developments, challenges and opportunities in the digital music market. IMPALA members can access a series of reports, briefings and webinars.
The first report puts the spotlight on the role of playlists and curation at the main on-demand music streaming platforms in driving streams, plays, royalties, fanbase building and music discovery.
It identifies five key trends, including the so called ‘democratisation’ of playlist pitching at the streaming platforms; the increased importance of the algorithm; the debate around paid-for promotion; the impact of diversification in the digital market; and challenges caused by the disparity between playlisting operations in different markets.
All five of those themes are explained and dissected in the report, along with action points for independent music companies and talking points for the independent music community.
Those talking points will also be debated during this week’s webinar, the first IMPALA Digital Hour session from One Step Ahead. That takes place at 3pm CET this Friday and is open to all IMPALA members, including members of any IMPALA affiliated national trade organisation. Check with your local organisation for details.
The full report also includes an overview of best practice playlist marketing, helping labels navigate and understand the different kinds of curation and playlists, offering tips on how to pitch to playlist curators, and advice on the business partners that can help with the process. There is also official pitching guidance from Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music.
IMPALA members can access the full report here and sign up to the webinar here.
