In today's CMU Daily: Council Of Music Makers calls on major label employees to educate themselves to drive change; tributes to Annie Nightingale; UMG addresses lay-offs rumours; no copyright exceptions for AI reiterates UK government.

Also today: Music Publishers Association leadership look at what 2024 has in store

CMU's virtual masterclass Music + AI In 2024 takes place on Tuesday 20 Feb. Attendees can access the session live on Zoom and then on-demand via the CMU learning platform. Click here for information on all of the upcoming CMU online masterclasses and to book your place.

“Educate yourselves” about industry changes to help address streaming issues, says Council Of Music Makers to major label employees

The UK’s Council Of Music Makers has published a memo aimed at employees of the major music companies urging them to play their part in addressing issues raised by artists and songwriters with the streaming business model. Because, it says, while recent stats have confirmed continued growth in the recorded music market, “for many professional music-makers these are incredibly challenging times”.

The CMM memo responds to last week’s new year memos from Universal Music CEO Lucian Grainge and Warner Music CEO Robert Kycnl. It criticises the majors and digital platforms for developing a new so called ‘artist-centric’ model for streaming without consulting artists, and calls on employees at the majors to take a direct interest in the UK government-led work on streaming. That includes implementing codes that have been agreed around data and transparency.

“Educate yourself about the data we are talking about, and your role in collating and delivering it”, the memo says. “Fixing this problem isn’t just the job of data experts: every single person in the industry needs to play their part”. And with the transparency code, which will be formally launched in the coming weeks but is already circulating around the industry, “we need you to find out about the code and how your company plans to implement it, and to consider the role you can play in providing the transparency music-makers need and deserve”.

Of course, the really contentious part of the streaming debate relates to remuneration. The shift to the ‘artist-centric’ model changes how revenue is allocated to individual tracks.

However, CMM writes, the fact artists were not involved in those changes means the new model is “as far from artist-centric as it is possible to be”. It adds: “With zero consultation and little communication, it is impossible for us to properly understand the reforms, or to assess the impact, and form an informed opinion on whether they are fair”.

The CMM also continues to demand change to the way money allocated to recordings is shared between labels and artists. The government has convened a working group to discuss those demands. “The record companies must enter into a frank and honest conversation about the inequities in streaming which are caused by their policies”, the memo states, “especially those that disadvantage the music-makers behind the industry’s incredibly valuable catalogue”.

With the memo being aimed at everyone working for the major music companies - not just the bosses - it also adds that “we understand that in big companies it can be hard for all but the most senior people to influence the big policy decisions”.

However, it reckons, the data and transparency codes, and remuneration working group, provide an opportunity where everyone “can play a positive role”. In terms of the remuneration group, “we need you to put pressure on your bosses to properly engage with the group and other similar forums, to accept that they will need to change long-standing inequitable policies, and to come to the table with proposals for tangible solutions rather than yet more excuses”.

SETLIST PODCAST

Setlist Podcast: Major label bosses put the spotlight on superfans

On this week's Setlist we discuss the start-of-year memos from the bosses of Universal Music and Warner Music, both of whom put the spotlight in super-serving superfans, plus the ASA ruling against Viagogo's advertorial pieces in the NME, and lots of stats about the music market in 2023.

Go listen wherever you get your podcasts, or click through below.

Full Time Hobby Music // D2C Marketing Assistant (London)

terrible* // D2C Customer Service Representative (London)

terrible* // Logistics & Production Assistant (London)

Snapper Music // Press & Promo Coordinator (London)

Como No & La Linea // Director (London/Hybrid)

UK Music // Chief Executive (London/Hybrid)

Deviate Digital // Digital Marketing Assistant (London)

ONE LINERS

Drake, Music Mudder, Dizzee Rascal + more

DEALS

Confetti London, an offshoot of the creative industry institute at Nottingham Trent University, has partnered with Tileyard to give students access to its workspaces, resident industry professionals and recording studios. “This partnership offers students the unrivalled opportunity to supercharge and fast-track their careers”, says Jamie Searls, MD of Tileyard Education.

APPOINTMENTS

Sony Music’s Arista Records in the US has appointed Sharon Timure as Head Of Marketing and Kelsey Hession as Publicity Lead. “We’re THRILLED to kick off the new year with the addition of Sharon and Kelsey to the team”, says CEO David Massey. “Sharon brings an incredible prowess to developing artists with a progressive marketing strategy and Kelsey’s forward-thinking approach to media will be a driving force to build buzz around our roster”.

Interval Records has appointed Josh Daniel as Label Manager. The company was launched last year as a partnership between Generator and EMI North. “Being able to use my knowledge and expertise to cultivate talent in the area, with the backing of a major label, is incredible”, he says. “In addition, partnering with Generator, a stalwart in supporting regional artists, gives me total confidence that, collectively, we can achieve great success. This venture aligns perfectly with my vision for the future of the music industry, and these are exactly the kind of opportunities I've always aspired to facilitate for my hometown and region”.

Believe-owned distributor TuneCore has appointed Akhila Shankar as head of its South Asian division. “The South Asian music industry consists of one of the most diverse and robust pools of talented independent artists in the world”, says VP International Tash Shah. “With Akhila at the helm of TuneCore’s operations in South Asia, I’m confident that we’ll continue to grow as a company and witness the success of our many brilliant artists from India and beyond”.

LEGAL

Drake has urged a US court to dismiss a lawsuit filed last year that accuses him of sampling without licence a track by Ghanaian artist Obrafour on his 2022 album ‘Honestly, Nevermind’. In a new legal filing, Drake's team argue that the copyright in the allegedly sampled track is registered to a different artist with the Copyright Office in Ghana and therefore Obrafour's "claim of ownership is defeated".

LIVE BUSINESS

Live giant AEG has held a second public consultation for its proposed 8500 capacity arena in Edinburgh. If approved, it will host over 150 events per year, the company said. “We did a gap analysis of the UK to see where the big gaps were in terms of arenas, and Edinburgh was the best place”, said Alistair Wood, AEG Europe’s VP Of Real Estate And Development, according to Edinburgh Evening News. “We are not planning to go head to head with the Hydro in Glasgow but perhaps see artists who play there also play here”.

EVENTS

Talent agency Wasserman Music and music therapy charity Nordoff & Robbins have announced the return of Music Mudder - the music industry obstacle course challenge, which last year raised over £61,000. It will take place on 13 Sep. Teams can enter here now.

AWARDS

Art Vinyl has announced the cover of PJ Harvey's latest album 'I Inside The Old Year Dying' - created by Michelle Henning - as the winner of its annual Best Art Vinyl Award. The runners up were Gabriels’ ‘Angels & Queens’ and ‘Evolve’ by Sub Focus. “Simplicity and thoughtful concept provide the many layers for this year's Best Art Vinyl Award winners”, says award founder Andrew Heeps. “Each of these worthy winners brings levels of artistic complexity and techniques together to bring the music inside their beautiful packages to life”.

RELEASES

Dizzee Rascal has released new single ‘What You Know About That’ featuring JME and D Double E.

Faye Webster has released new signal ‘Lego Ring’ featuring Lil Yachty.

The year ahead: Music Publishers Association

As we head into 2024, CMU has been sitting down with the bosses of many of the music industry’s trade organisations to talk about their work, the key challenges faced by their members, and what to expect in the year ahead.

Today we take a look at what the year ahead holds for the Music Publishers Association with Paul Clements, CEO and Ornella Nsio, Chief Policy & Public Affairs Officer.

BBC leads tributes to Annie Nightingale

Tributes have been made across the music and media industries to Annie Nightingale, the BBC Radio 1 DJ who died last week aged 83.

Her family said in a statement on Friday: “Annie Nightingale MBE passed away yesterday at her home in London after a short illness. Annie was a pioneer, trailblazer and an inspiration to many. Her impulse to share that enthusiasm with audiences remained undimmed after six decades of broadcasting on BBC TV and radio globally".

“Never underestimate the role model she became", they added. "Breaking down doors by refusing to bow down to sexual prejudice and male fear gave encouragement to generations of young women who, like Annie, only wanted to tell you about an amazing tune they had just heard".

Born in April 1940, Nightingale began her media career in newspapers, magazines and TV, including hosting 1960s pop show 'That's For Me'. After the BBC launched Radio 1 in 1967, she began lobbying management at the station for an on-air role - at the time the station employed exclusively male presenters. She succeeded, with her first show airing in 1970 - until 1982 she was the only female DJ on Radio 1.

Having started with a daytime show she then moved into an evening slot which gave her more control over the music she played. This allowed her to champion new artists and new music - something she continued to do for the rest of her life. There was more TV work too, most notably a long stint presenting the BBC music show 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'.

She continued to present her weekly show on Radio 1 - becoming the station’s longest serving presenter - with the most recent edition broadcast last week. And in 2021 she launched a new initiative on her show championing talented women and non-binary people who are gaining traction in the electronic music scene across the world, which last year included Imogen, Jay Carder and Rossy.

Paying tribute to Nightingale on Friday, Head Of Radio 1 Aled Haydn Jones said: "All of us at Radio 1 are devastated to lose Annie, our thoughts are with her family and friends. Annie was a world class DJ, broadcaster and journalist, and throughout her entire career was a champion of new music and new artists. She was the first female DJ on Radio 1 and over her 50 years on the station was a pioneer for women in the industry and in dance music. We have lost a broadcasting legend and, thanks to Annie, things will never be the same".

Meanwhile, the BBC's Director Of Music, Lorna Clarke, added: "She was a fierce pioneer for new music and supporting female talent, and will be hugely missed by her many supporters from around the world".

CMU GUIDE: AI + MUSIC

Artificial intelligence + the music business: CMU's guide to (nearly) everything that mattered in 2023

There was a lot of discussion in 2023 within the music community about how AI will impact on music creation, music marketing, and the music business more generally.

There are clearly opportunities created by AI, and many ways that AI technologies will enhance the business.

An increasing number of music creators and music companies are exploring and identifying way to capitalise on those opportunities, and figuring out which AI products and services may offer ways to enhance their work.

Read CMU's (very) deep dive guide to the deals, disputes and debates, lawsuits and lobbying, and innovation and exploration that informed the conversation.

Universal Music to lay off hundreds says Bloomberg: company responds and says it will create “efficiencies"

Hot on the heels of Lucian Grainge’s new year memo that trumpeted the major as “the most successful company in the history of the music industry”, Universal Music has said it will “create efficiencies” in the coming months following a Bloomberg report that said hundreds of jobs are set to be cut at the company.

In a statement addressing the reported lay-offs, Universal said: “We continue to position UMG to accelerate its leadership in music’s most promising growth areas and drive its transformation to capitalise on them. Over the past several years, we have been investing in future growth – building our e-commerce and D2C operations, expanding geographically, and leveraging new technologies".

"While we maintain our industry-leading investments in A&R and artist development, we are creating efficiencies in other areas of the business so we can remain nimble and responsive to the dynamic market, while realising the benefits of our scale".

There have been significant job cuts in the tech sector over the last year, of course, including at digital music businesses, not least Spotify. And there were further redundancies announced just last week at both Google and Amazon. The latter included the news that about 100 jobs will go at audiobook division Audible, while Amazon-owned Twitch is planning to cut 35% of its workforce, or about 500 roles.

In the music industry, both Warner Music and BMG have done some albeit more modest downsizing in the last year. With both those companies - and going by what it says, for Universal too - much of the downsizing seems to be about reducing staffing costs in some parts of the business to enable growth in others.

In his memo to staff last week, Universal boss Lucian Grainge wrote that super-serving superfans and more geographical expansion would be a priority in the year ahead.

He also confirmed that the company would “create efficiencies in other areas of the business” as it further evolved its organisational structure.

No copyright exception for AI reiterates UK government - but tech companies still lobbying for more change

The UK government has reiterated that it will not proceed with its previous plan to introduce a wide-ranging text and data mining exception into copyright law that could be utilised by AI companies. It is instead seeking to develop a code of practice around AI and copyright, although the tech sector continues to lobby for more flexibility in law.

Copyright industries, including the music industry, are adamant that if tech companies train generative AI models with existing content then they must first get permission from relevant copyright owners. However, many tech companies argue that training AI models in that way should be covered by a copyright exception, meaning no permission would be required.

In the UK, the government proposed a new data mining exception to specifically benefit AI companies but backtracked after a considerable backlash from the copyright industries. It confirmed last week that those proposals are definitely off the table in a response to a report by Parliament’s Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee.

It also confirmed that the Intellectual Property Office is still working with copyright owners and tech companies in a bid to develop a code of practice, which was originally expected before the end of last year. However, finding a compromise between the two sides will be a challenge.

A select committee in the House Or Lords is also considering these issues and has continued to publish submissions to its inquiry this month. That includes two that set out the tech sector’s position that, for AI models and the UK artificial intelligence industry to achieve their full potential, there needs to be more flexibility when it comes to using third party data in training.

One of those submissions comes from OpenAI. Although not as bold as its recent blog post on its legal dispute with the New York Times, it argued that AI tools need to be exposed to "the full diversity and breadth of human intelligence and experience", which inevitably means using copyright protected works because "copyright today covers virtually every sort of human expression".

In its submission, OpenUK - an organisation that says it seeks to "empower the open technology community with a cohesive voice" - raised concerns that, with the new data mining exception now not going ahead, development of AI in UK - and tech innovation more generally - “will be further stifled by a new code of conduct restricting … legitimate use".

Noting that "many nations have specifically enacted exceptions to copyright law to allow for … training whilst the US has a fair use provision, all allowing LLMs to be trained", it stated that, with no exception in UK law, "it is understood that no large language models are being trained in the UK due to confusion around the ability to use publicly available data”.

The copyright industries will continue to argue that technology companies are exaggerating the doom and gloom that will ensue if they don't get their way on copyright matters. Insisting there are licensing solutions for those developing generative AI models, they will continue to call on lawmakers to resist the demands of tech companies to reduce their copyright obligations.