Welcome to Music Enterprise Worldwide’s weekly round-up – the place we be sure that you caught the 5 largest tales to hit our headlines over the previous seven days. MBW’s round-up is supported by Centtrip, which helps over 500 of the world’s best-selling artists maximize their revenue and scale back their touring prices.
This week’s information cycle was dominated by information on 2024 recorded music revenues, and a wide range of points associated to copyright.
Through information from IFPI, we realized that world recorded music revenues rose 4.8% YoY in 2024, with rising markets and Europe main the way in which and the US lagging behind.
The US’s efficiency was highlighted by the RIAA‘s newest report displaying recorded music commerce revenues from streaming rising 3.6% YoY in 2024.
In the meantime, artists and different copyright holders are rising involved a few proposal from ChatGPT maker OpenAI to reform US copyright regulation to enable AI builders to make use of copyrighted supplies with out authorization to coach their fashions. Sir Paul McCartney and Bette Midler are among the many celebrities main the opposition to the plan.
Talking of copyright, Mariah Carey landed a decisive authorized victory this week, with a court docket summarily ruling in her favor in a copyright declare over her basic All I Need For Christmas Is You.
And in different courtroom information, Common Music Group filed a movement to dismiss the defamation case introduced towards it by Drake over Kendrick Lamar‘s Not Like Us. UMG known as Drake’s swimsuit “completely with out advantage.”
Based on new information issued by the RIAA on Tuesday (March 18), recorded music commerce revenues from streaming in the US – the world’s largest music market – grew by simply 3.6% YoY in 2024, as much as USD $14.88 billion.
Contemplating that US-based inflation sat at round 3% within the 12 calendar months of final yr, this quantity is unlikely to get trade watchers scorching below the collar.
The US trade’s general streaming income efficiency in 2024 was dragged down by payouts from on-demand, ad-supported music providers, together with YouTube and Spotify‘s ‘freemium’ tier.
Mixed, these platforms noticed their income contribution to the recorded music trade decline within the US final yr, down 1.8% YoY to $1.83 billion…
The IFPIWorld Music Report 2025 reveals a music trade persevering with to develop – whereas dealing with new challenges and alternatives.
To be clear: the IFPI’s numbers refer strictly to wholesale recorded music revenues (i.e. the cash paid by to labels, distributors, and artists).
The worldwide numbers include some excellent news for rightsholders (see: subscription streaming commerce revenues up almost 10% YoY), however there are additionally some worrying components (see: ad-supported streaming not pulling its weight, a droop within the USA’s efficiency).
Listed below are 11 fast takeaways from the report…
The maker of ChatGPT, OpenAI, has known as for elementary modifications to US copyright regulation that will enable AI firms to make use of copyrighted works with out permission or compensation to rightsholders.
That’s in accordance with a recent coverage submission to the White Home Workplace of Science and Know-how Coverage (OSTP).
The doc doesn’t make pleased studying for copyright holders, which explains why music stars like Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, and Bette Midler have joined tons of of Hollywood celebrities in signing a letter pushing again towards the proposals.
The submission, filed by OpenAI on March 13, is a part of the tech firm’s response to the Trump administration’s request for info on creating a nationwide AI Motion Plan…
Mariah Carey has gained a lawsuit that claimed the perennial hit All I Need For Christmas Is You infringed the copyright on one other music with the identical title.
The court docket additionally slapped sanctions on the attorneys who introduced the case towards Carey, saying that they had filed “frivolous” and “unsupported” claims within the case in “to trigger pointless delay and needlessly improve the prices of litigation.”
Songwriter Andy Stone, who performs as Vince Vance and the Valiants, together with co-writer Troy Powers, filed a criticism in November 2023, alleging that Carey’s 1994 basic Christmas music ripped off their very own music known as All I Need For Christmas Is You, which was launched in 1989 and “turned a rustic music hit” after “intensive seasonal airplay in 1993,” in accordance with their criticism…
Common Music Group (UMG) has formally filed a movement asking the court docket to dismiss a defamation lawsuit introduced by famous person rapper Drake.
The music firm argues in its movement, filed on Monday (March 17) that Drake’s “criticism is completely with out advantage and needs to be dismissed with prejudice.”
UMG writes in its court docket submitting, obtained by MBW, that Drake, “one of the vital profitable recording artists of all time, misplaced a rap battle that he provoked and through which he willingly participated.”
MBW’s Weekly Spherical-Up is supported by Centtrip, which helps over 500 of the world’s best-selling artists maximise their revenue and scale back their touring prices.Music Enterprise Worldwide
