Welcome to Music Enterprise Worldwide’s weekly round-up – the place we make 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 earnings and cut back their touring prices.
This week’s information cycle was dominated by information on 2024 recorded music revenues, and quite a lot of points associated to copyright.
By way of information from IFPI, we discovered 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 couple of proposal from ChatGPT maker OpenAI to reform US copyright legislation to permit 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 courtroom 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 in opposition to it by Drake over Kendrick Lamar‘s Not Like Us. UMG referred to as Drake’s go well with “completely with out advantage.”
In keeping with 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 business watchers sizzling beneath the collar.
The US business’s total streaming income efficiency in 2024 was dragged down by payouts from on-demand, ad-supported music companies, together with YouTube and Spotify‘s ‘freemium’ tier.
Mixed, these platforms noticed their income contribution to the recorded music business decline within the US final yr, down 1.8% YoY to $1.83 billion…
The IFPIInternational Music Report 2025 reveals a music business persevering with to develop – whereas going through 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 practically 10% YoY), however there are additionally some worrying parts (see: ad-supported streaming not pulling its weight, a stoop within the USA’s efficiency).
Listed here are 11 fast takeaways from the report…
The maker of ChatGPT, OpenAI, has referred to as for basic adjustments to US copyright legislation that may permit AI corporations to make use of copyrighted works with out permission or compensation to rightsholders.
That’s in response to a contemporary coverage submission to the White Home Workplace of Science and Expertise Coverage (OSTP).
The doc doesn’t make blissful 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 in opposition to 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 growing a nationwide AI Motion Plan…
Mariah Carey has received a lawsuit that claimed the perennial hit All I Need For Christmas Is You infringed the copyright on one other track with the identical identify.
The courtroom additionally slapped sanctions on the legal professionals who introduced the case in opposition to Carey, saying they’d 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 track ripped off their very own track referred to as All I Need For Christmas Is You, which was launched in 1989 and “grew to become a rustic music hit” after “in depth seasonal airplay in 1993,” in response to their criticism…
Common Music Group (UMG) has formally filed a movement asking the courtroom to dismiss a defamation lawsuit introduced by celebrity rapper Drake.
The music firm argues in its movement, filed on Monday (March 17) that Drake’s “criticism is completely with out advantage and must be dismissed with prejudice.”
UMG writes in its courtroom submitting, obtained by MBW, that Drake, “probably the most profitable recording artists of all time, misplaced a rap battle that he provoked and wherein 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 earnings and cut back their touring prices.Music Enterprise Worldwide
