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Music industry responds to metadata code and remuneration working group

By | Published on Wednesday 31 May 2023

Streaming services

Reps from across the music industry have responded to the announcements earlier today from the Intellectual Property Office about the next steps in the government-led economics of music streaming work in the UK…

Sophie Jones, Interim CEO at record label trade group the BPI: “We are concerned the environment being fostered in the UK will disincentivise investment in our creative ecosystem at a time when labels are fighting hard to grow exports and protect the rights of artists in the era of AI. Furthermore, this new effort seems at odds with the government’s ambition to grow the UK’s world leading creative industries by an extra £50bn by 2030″.

“Over the past three years our sector has been subjected to multiple inquiries and investigations, culminating in a CMA market study that found competition is working effectively and delivering good and improving outcomes for consumers and creators across the sector”.

“Throughout that process the BPI and its members engaged positively and constructively, resulting in a raft of initiatives to improve transparency and the flow of royalty payments to artists. Numerous studies have demonstrated that streaming has benefited consumers and artists alike, with record labels paying more to artists than ever before”.

Silvia Montello, CEO of the Association Of Independent Music: “AIM’s priority continues to be that artists are rightly rewarded for their creativity whilst ensuring that all those who invest in and nurture them have sustainable successful business models. We are also committed to ensuring that the growing DIY sector has its voice heard”.

“The metadata agreement is a step in the right direction, creating workable industry-wide standards to help improve accurate payments and data flow in streaming”.

“A win for the new remuneration group will be that all involved work positively together not to simply create new ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ but to understand the bigger picture and find fair outcomes which will benefit creators and rightsholders across the industry. By working together rather than in individual silos we can make a more positive difference”.

Paul Clements, CEO at the Music Publishers Association: “I congratulate the IPO and all of the industry stakeholders within the IPO’s metadata working group for producing an agreement which will lead to positive gains for our creator community”.

“However, signing an agreement alone will not deliver the outcomes nor improvements we hope to see. These improvements can only be delivered through further collaborative hard work and taking the importance of securing, associating and supplying critical metadata consistently, with each recording at the point that recordings enter the value chain”.

“I always want to understand what does ‘good’ look like related to any set of results? I am therefore really pleased to see our industry working group experts are turning their immediate attention to establishing reliable measurement KPIs which will help shine a light on how changes are making a difference and to monitor their adoption and application”.

Graham Davies, CEO, The Ivors Academy: “Currently a fraction of recordings being streamed properly credit the people that wrote and published the song”.

“This is bad for the creators who lose their due recognition and payment, this is bad for the consumer who wishes to know and search for this information, it is bad for digital service providers who wish to enhance the consumer experience, it is bad for the industry whose job it is to pay the rightsholders in a timely and accurate way”.

“The Ivors Academy originally raised this issue with the DCMS Select Committee and are pleased that this code gives us the first proper step on a journey of closing the metadata gap”.

Naomi Pohl, General Secretary, Musician’s Union: “Data has been a problem in the music industry for as long as royalties have existed. Accurate data will mean more money in music-maker pockets and less getting lost in the system or mis-allocated. This can only be a good thing and is extremely welcome”.

“However, our members also need to be paid more; the metadata issue isn’t the only issue and we are delighted that the government and IPO have now instigated a working group to look at creator remuneration. We look forward to advancing the complete reset of music streaming that the DCMS Select Committee called for”.

Cameron Craig, Executive Director, Music Producers Guild: “The MPG welcomes the signing of the metadata code of practice. The first step is always small and yet the most significant, this one will start music-makers down the path to more accurate metadata for the whole UK music industry, allowing for better, more accurate remuneration and career progression through tangible crediting”.

“We’d also like to take the opportunity to thank the DCMS Select Committee, government ministers and the Intellectual Property Office for their work in making this possible. We are pleased the IPO and government are listening and look forward to continuing to shape the next stages, ensuring that quality and quantity targets are met”.

David Martin, CEO, Featured Artists Coalition: “The FAC would like to thank the Intellectual Property Office, the DCMS Select Committee and government ministers for bringing the UK music industry together in order to improve the streaming economy. The signing of the metadata code of practice marks a small, but significant step on the journey towards a complete reset of streaming”.

“We look forward to contributing to the next stage of this work on metadata key performance indicators. We also welcome the news that a creator remuneration group is to be established. Remuneration is the FAC’s main focus, as we seek a more equitable deal for the UK’s artist community. We welcome confirmation from ministers that legislative interventions remain an option if the industry is unable to reach voluntary agreement”.

Annabella Coldrick, CEO, Music Managers Forum: “Once again, the MMF would like to put on record our gratitude to the DCMS Select Committee, the IPO and government ministers for their recognition that concrete reforms are required if the UK’s music streaming market is to keep pace with other countries”.

“As reiterated yesterday by the Minister Of State, sustaining a thriving music industry that delivers continued growth in an increasingly competitive global music market and fair remuneration for existing and future creators should be complementary and reasonable goals”.

“The establishment of a working group on remuneration and a new pan-industry agreement on metadata are are clearly important steps – albeit early steps – in that direction. We now need all sides to get down to work and deliver some meaningful changes”.



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