Meet CMU Business Editor Chris Cooke
Chris is co-Founder and MD of CMU

CHRIS COOKE is an editor, journalist and media entrepreneur.
He is co-Founder and MD of CMU, a company that helps people navigate and understand the music business. It does this through media like the CMU Daily bulletin, Setlist podcast and CMU Library; consultancy unit CMU Insights, with its seminars, reports and conference sessions; future talent programme CMU:DIY; and the Pathways Into Music Foundation, which supports music educators and talent development organisations.
Via CMU, Chris writes, talks, teaches and consults about the music industry. He leads sessions and discussions at music conferences around the world; guest lectures at various UK music colleges; and curates the core conference strands at The Great Escape showcase festival in Brighton each May.
He also wrote the book ‘Dissecting The Digital Dollar’ and compiled the ‘Music Copyright Explained’ guide for the UK’s Intellectual Property Office.
As a leading expert on music rights and the global music industry, particular areas of expertise include music licensing; music data; music piracy; the streaming business; sync deals; the evolving role of record labels, music publishers, music distributors and artist managers; and the monetisation of the direct-to-fan relationship.
CMU is part of Chris’s business 3CM UnLimited, which champions and supports the content, culture, communication and music industries via media, research and training, educational initiatives, and live events.
Through 3CM he also publishes cultural recommendations service ThisWeek Culture and its sister magazine ThreeWeeks at the Edinburgh Festival; and he helped to launch and develop the award winning Taylor Bennett Foundation, which is enabling more ethnic diversity in the communications industry.
Earlier in his career, Chris worked on a number of research and consulting projects looking at best practice in corporate communications and reputation management. He later led the design and content elements of youth marketing programmes for big brands and managed the content delivery of major music partnerships between leading artists and national newspapers. He also produced fringe theatre shows in Edinburgh and London.
With degrees in both English and Law, Chris regularly writes about, discusses and comments on the music business, intellectual property, and the wider content, culture and communication sectors.
More at mynameischriscooke.com
MOST RECENT ARTICLES BY CHRIS COOKE…
US Senators hit out at TikTok over latest data security allegations 8 June 2023
Texas appeals court declines to intervene on Astroworld litigation gagging order 8 June 2023
Maria Schneider wants Content ID case to be paused following class action decision 8 June 2023
Warner Music Japan announces partnership with creative house LAND 8 June 2023
Guns N Roses trademark lawsuit against Texas seller of guns and roses dismissed 8 June 2023
Culture Secretary insists new music-maker remuneration working group will not become a mere talking shop 7 June 2023
Judge dismisses one of the song-theft lawsuits over Dua Lipa's Levitating 7 June 2023
AIF publishes Festival Forecast report outlining trends and challenges in the independent festival sector 7 June 2023
Deezer says its "cutting-edge tools" will tackle streaming fraud and flag AI-generated music 7 June 2023
Paul Oakenfold responds to allegations of sexual harassment following filing of lawsuit in LA 6 June 2023
Coldplay provide update on their environmentally sustainable touring efforts 6 June 2023
Apple unveils its Vision Pro headset 6 June 2023
Spotify confirms restructuring and downsizing of its podcasting business 6 June 2023
Lewis Capaldi cancels upcoming shows to "rest and recover" ahead of Glastonbury performance 6 June 2023
One Liners: Dave & Central Cee, Superstruct, Semisonic, more 6 June 2023
Record companies hit out at Cox Communications for connecting a terrorist content ruling to its copyright appeal 5 June 2023
Australian music industry launches petition over radio royalty caps in copyright law 5 June 2023
OfCom fines Bauer £25,000 over abandoned AM frequency 5 June 2023
Spotify podcaster Jemele Hill comments amid reports her exclusivity deal is ending 5 June 2023
US prosectors go after R Kelly's label and publishing royalties to pay off fines and restitution 2 June 2023
First web-block injunctions issued in Bulgaria 2 June 2023
Role of search engines in facilitating ticket touting back in the spotlight 2 June 2023
One Liners: Yours, Kula Shaker, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Pendulum, more 2 June 2023
Music industry organisations provide perspectives on the economics of streaming debate 1 June 2023
BBC outlines Glastonbury plans 1 June 2023
MU launches free membership scheme for refugee musicians 1 June 2023
One Liners: Apple Music, Helena Deland, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 1 June 2023
UK government formally announces music metadata agreement and music-maker remuneration working group 31 May 2023
Music industry responds to metadata code and remuneration working group 31 May 2023
MCPS member distributions increased by £6.7 million in 2022 31 May 2023