UK Music - CMU | the music business explained

Economic impact of the UK music business topped £8 billion, says UK Music, but “underlying issues” jeopardise future growth

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UK Music • 2 min read

Economic impact of the UK music business topped £8 billion, says UK Music, but “underlying issues” jeopardise future growth

UK Music has published its annual ‘This Is Music’ report. It says the GVA economic impact of the music sector is now £8 billion, up 5% year-on-year. But growth is slowing because of “underlying issues” that the government should help address, including in relation to AI, grassroots music and visas…

Chris Cooke • 12 Nov 2025

UK Music launches ‘five Ps’ guide to boost diversity in the music industry

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UK Music • 1 min read

UK Music launches ‘five Ps’ guide to boost diversity in the music industry

UK Music’s Diversity Taskforce has identified various actions that it says it’s crucial for the music industry to undertake in order to boost diversity and inclusion across the sector. Those actions are organised into ‘five Ps’ in a new guide: people, policy, partnerships, purchase and progress…

Chris Cooke • 28 Oct 2025

UK music industry's economic impact up 13% to £7.6 billion, but this is no time to be complacent, says UK Music

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UK Music • 3 min read

UK music industry's economic impact up 13% to £7.6 billion, but this is no time to be complacent, says UK Music

The UK music industry’s economic impact increased last year, with the sector’s ‘gross value added’ rising 13% to £7.6 billion. That’s according to a new report from UK Music which says that, although the industry is growing, it still needs more support from the government…

Chris Cooke • 20 Nov 2024

NTIA lashes out against minimum wage increase for hospitality sector workers as music industry comments on the budget’s impact

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Budget 2024 • 8 min read

NTIA lashes out against minimum wage increase for hospitality sector workers as music industry comments on the budget’s impact

If you thought you’d managed to tune out the endless droning of budget coverage and analysis, think again. CMU tells you (almost) everything you need to know about this year’s budget, announced yesterday by the UK government…

Sam Taylor • 31 Oct 2024

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UK Music • 2 min read

UK Music names Tom Kiehl as new CEO

Tom Kiehl has been confirmed as CEO of UK Music, following nine months as the organisation’s interim chief exec. With a General Election looming, he says he hopes to “turn this moment of considerable political change into a moment to achieve change for UK Music”…

Andy Malt • 25 Jun 2024

“Significant improvements” in UK music industry diversity, report shows

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UK Music • 2 min read

“Significant improvements” in UK music industry diversity, report shows

Since 2022, the UK music industry has seen “significant improvements” in the diversity of its workforce, UK Music’s latest research shows. However, there is still more to be done, and the trade body is now calling on political parties to pledge support ahead of next month’s General Election…

Andy Malt • 19 Jun 2024

UK Music’s Director of Research Andy Edwards on the value of music creators’ economic data

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UK Music • 5 min read

UK Music’s Director of Research Andy Edwards on the value of music creators’ economic data

UK Music has launched its annual This Is Music Creators’ Survey. The trade body’s Director of Research Andy Edwards explains how responses are used, both in contributing to its calculation of the music industry’s overall contribution to the UK economy and identifying key issues facing creators…

CMU • 13 May 2024

MPs call on UK government to create “a pro-creative industries AI bill”

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AI • 3 min read

MPs call on UK government to create “a pro-creative industries AI bill”

The All-Party Parliamentary Group On Music has published a report on music and AI making a number of recommendations to government. That includes a “a pro-creative industries AI bill” the clarifies the copyright obligations of AI companies and introduces a new personality right for artists…

Chris Cooke • 01 May 2024

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Jeremy Hunt • 4 min read

Music industry responds to UK budget

The UK Chancellor Of The Exchequer Jeremy Hunt yesterday announced the government’s latest budget. Numerous music industry organisations have issued responses, welcoming an extension of orchestra tax relief but criticising the continued lack of a reduction in VAT on ticket sales…

CMU • 07 Mar 2024

UK Music again calls for VAT cut on tickets ahead of budget statement

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UK Music • 2 min read

UK Music again calls for VAT cut on tickets ahead of budget statement

UK Music has again called for a cut to the VAT rate on tickets to help support a struggling live sector, noting that the VAT charged on tickets in the UK is nearly double the average across Europe. This comes ahead of UK Chancellor Of The Exchequer Jeremy Hunt’s latest budget statement next month…

Chris Cooke • 28 Feb 2024

Industry comments on UK Parliament’s Misogyny In Music report

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Industry Issues • 7 min read

Industry comments on UK Parliament’s Misogyny In Music report

Music industry organisations including UK Music, the BPI, MMF, Black Lives In Music, and the Musicians’ Union comment on the Misogyny In Music report published by the UK Parliament’s Women And Women And Equalities Committee this morning…

CMU • 30 Jan 2024

The year ahead: Tom Kiehl, Interim CEO of UK Music

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UK Music • 7 min read

The year ahead: Tom Kiehl, Interim CEO of UK Music

UK Music interim CEO Tom Kiehl looks ahead to 2024 in the latest of our series of interviews with the music industry’s trade bodies. He discusses the organisation’s work around AI, education, Brexit and US visas, and shares some insights from UK Music’s research reports.…

CMU • 18 Jan 2024