Select Committee · Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Economics of music streaming

Status: Closed Opened: 15 Oct 2020 Closed: 10 Nov 2021 21 recommendations 4 conclusions 1 report

MPs will examine what economic impact music streaming is having on artists, record labels and the sustainability of the wider music industry. With streaming currently accounting for more than half of the global music industry’s revenue, this inquiry will look at the business models operated by platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - Economics of music streaming HC 50 15 Jul 2021 25 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
1 Conclusion Second Report - Economics of music stre… Acknowledged

Streaming has undoubtedly helped save the music industry following two decades of digital piracy but...

Streaming has undoubtedly helped save the music industry following two decades of digital piracy but it is clear that what has been saved does not work for everyone. The issues ostensibly created by streaming simply reflect more fundamental, structural problems within the recorded music industry. Streaming needs a complete reset. … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the report, acknowledges that many creators are calling for reforms and that the streaming environment is complex, but states more targeted research is needed before deciding on specific actions.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
2 Recommendation Second Report - Economics of music stre… Acknowledged

We urge Universal and Warner to look again at the issue of unrecouped balances with...

We urge Universal and Warner to look again at the issue of unrecouped balances with a view to enabling more of their legacy artists to receive payments when their music is streamed.

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the issue of unrecouped balances and is launching work to better understand fairness in creator remuneration, assessing different models as part of its wider review.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
7 Recommendation Second Report - Economics of music stre… Acknowledged

Despite being an important part in the music creation and music streaming process, song rightsholders...

Despite being an important part in the music creation and music streaming process, song rightsholders are not effectively remunerated for their work. The Government should work with creators and the independent publishing sector to explore ways in which new and upcoming songwriters and composers can be supported to have sustainable … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the importance of song rightsholders and commits to bringing together industry representatives to discuss supporting songwriters and composers, to inform any future action.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
13 Conclusion Second Report - Economics of music stre… Acknowledged

Despite the general consensus that direct licensing between the record industry and streaming services is...

Despite the general consensus that direct licensing between the record industry and streaming services is positive, there are ongoing concerns about the majors’ 106 Economics of music streaming position in negotiation, which allows them to benefit at the expense of independent labels and self-releasing artists, particularly regarding playlisting. This is … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges concerns about the dominance of major music groups and has written to the CMA about the committee's observation, but states that it is for the independent CMA to decide how best to use its resources for a market study.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
21 Conclusion Second Report - Economics of music stre… Acknowledged

Safe harbour provisions that have been transposed into UK law have profoundly impacted the market...

Safe harbour provisions that have been transposed into UK law have profoundly impacted the market for digital music consumption. YouTube’s dominance of the music streaming market shows that the market has tipped. Safe harbour gives services that host user-generated content (UGC) a competitive advantage over other services and undermine the … Read more

Government response AI summary
The Government acknowledges that rightsholders should be properly remunerated and recognizes the difficulties faced, but states that licensing negotiations are private commercial matters and it has no intention of implementing the Copyright Directive. It notes the IPO has identified improvements to access to justice guidance …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Oral evidence sessions

7 sessions
Date Witnesses
22 Mar 2021 Amanda Solloway MP · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Caroline Dinenage MP · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Robert Specterman-Green · Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Tim Moss · Intellectual Property Office View ↗
23 Feb 2021 Elena Segal · Apple Inc, Horacio Gutierrez · Spotify, Paul Firth · Amazon View ↗
10 Feb 2021 Geoff Taylor · BPI, Graham Davies · Ivors Academy, Horace Trubridge · Musicians’ Union, Katherine Oyama · YouTube, Raoul Chatterjee · Soundcloud, Roberto Neri · Music Publishers Association, Steve Bené · Twitch View ↗
4 Feb 2021 Paul Pacifico · Association of Independent Music, Rupert Skellett · Beggars Group, Yvette Griffith · Jazz Re:freshed View ↗
19 Jan 2021 Andrea Martin · PRS for Music, David Joseph · Universal Music UK & Ireland, Jason Iley · Sony Music UK & Ireland, Peter Leathem · Phonographic Performance Ltd, Tony Harlow · Warner Music UK View ↗
8 Dec 2020 Fiona Bevan, José Luis Sevillano · Artistas Intérpretes o Ejecutantes, Entidad de Gestión de Derechos de Propiedad Intelectual (AIE), Kwame Kwaten · Music Managers Forum, Maria Forte · Maria Forte Music Services Ltd, Nile Rodgers, Soweto Kinch View ↗
24 Nov 2020 Colin Young, Ed O'Brien, Guy Garvey, Nadine Shah, Tom Frederikse, Tom Gray · The Ivors Academy View ↗

Who gave evidence

34 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Amanda Solloway MP · Minister for Science, Research and Innovation Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
Andrea Martin · Chief Executive PRS for Music 1
Caroline Dinenage MP · Minister for Digital and Culture Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport 1
Colin Young 1
David Joseph · Chairman and Chief Executive Universal Music UK & Ireland 1
Ed O'Brien 1
Elena Segal · Global Senior Director of Music Publishing Apple Inc 1
Fiona Bevan 1
Geoff Taylor · Chief Executive BPI 1
Graham Davies · Chief Executive Ivors Academy 1
Guy Garvey 1
Horace Trubridge · General Secretary Musicians’ Union 1
Horacio Gutierrez · Head of Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer Spotify 1
Jason Iley · Chairman and Chief Executive Sony Music UK & Ireland 1
José Luis Sevillano · Director General Artistas Intérpretes o Ejecutantes, Entidad de Gestión de Derechos de Propiedad Intelectual (AIE) 1
Katherine Oyama · Director, Government Affairs & Public Policy YouTube 1
Kwame Kwaten · Vice Chair Music Managers Forum 1
Maria Forte · Managing Director Maria Forte Music Services Ltd 1
Nadine Shah 1
Nile Rodgers 1
Paul Firth · Director of International Music Amazon 1
Paul Pacifico · Chief Executive Association of Independent Music 1
Peter Leathem · Chief Executive Phonographic Performance Ltd 1
Raoul Chatterjee · Vice President for Content Partnerships Soundcloud 1
Robert Specterman-Green · Director, Media and Creative Industries Department for Culture, Media and Sport 1
Roberto Neri · Chair Music Publishers Association 1
Rupert Skellett · General Counsel Beggars Group 1
Soweto Kinch 1
Steve Bené · General Counsel Twitch 1
Tim Moss · Chief Executive Intellectual Property Office 1
Tom Frederikse 1
Tom Gray · Chair The Ivors Academy 1
Tony Harlow · Chief Executive Warner Music UK 1
Yvette Griffith · Co-Chief Executive and Executive Director Jazz Re:freshed 1

Correspondence

5 letters
DateDirectionTitle
14 Jun 2022 To cttee Letter from Julia Lopez MP, Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure…
22 Sep 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Andrea Coscelli CBE, Chief Executive, CMA, relating to…
22 Sep 2021 Correspondence between the Government and the Competition and Markets Authority…
12 Jan 2021 Written evidence: BPI (EMS208)
24 Nov 2020 Background paper: Colin Young music streaming slides