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Global Music Report 2018 shows industry experiencing growth from subscription streaming, but Value Gap needs to be addressed for long term sustainability

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IFPI today released its anticipated 2018 Global Music Report, providing a state-of-the-industry guide to the top global markets and highlighting industry-wide trends.

While Canada dropped from the sixth to seventh largest music market in the world, the domestic music industry can be encouraged by marked growth in subscription audio streaming, which grew in trade value from USD $95.34 million in 2016 to USD $160.9 million in 2017. This trend has contributed to the first three consecutive years of growth following 15 years of revenue decline.

In Canada, ad-supported streaming declined slightly in 2017, representing USD $16.24 million in trade value, compared to USD $16.59 million in 2016. Video streams represented USD $23.32 million in trade value in 2017, rising from USD $21.56 million in 2016. The total trade value for all types of streaming rose from USD $133.5 million in 2016 to USD $200.4 million in 2017, a 50% increase. This is similar to the global trend where overall streaming revenues grew by 41.1%.

“I’m encouraged by the consecutive years of growth we’re witnessing. But as streaming continues its rise, it’s more important than ever that this business model supports the people making the music,” says Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada.

“There are still regulations and cross-subsidies in place, in Canada and around the world, intended to get tech companies off the ground,” says Henderson. “These companies, like Google and Facebook, are now some of the world’s wealthiest and have unprecedented control over content online. Music Canada produced a comprehensive report on the Value Gap in Canada, and more than 3,600 Canadian creators have signed the Focus On Creators letter to the Canadian government asking for legislative help. Any future legislation, including the current Copyright Act review, needs to keep the well-being and future of Canadian creators top of mind.”

Frances Moore, Chief Executive of IFPI, also pointed to addressing the Value Gap as a top priority.

“The industry is on a positive path of recovery but it’s very clear that the race is far from won.” Moore explained in an IFPI release. “Record companies are continuing in their efforts to put the industry back onto a stable path and, to that end, we are continuing our campaign to fix the value gap. This is not just essential for music to thrive in today’s global market, but to create the right – fair – environment for it to do so in the future.”

Music Canada’s 2017 report, The Value Gap: Its Origins, Impacts and a Made-In-Canada Approach, proposes a range of practical, forward-looking solutions tailored to Canada’s marketplace, institutions and legal framework.

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British Columbia music community celebrates new music fund, AMPLIFY BC

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Vancouver, March 22, 2018: Music BC and Music Canada today applaud the Government of British Columbia’s announcement of a new music fund for the province called AMPLIFY BC. Administered through Creative BC, the new Fund will provide much-needed support for the development of BC artists and musicians, music companies, skills development and live music production, stimulating economic growth and activity in the sector.

“Music Canada would like to applaud the Government of BC and Minister Beare for this important investment which demonstrates their confidence in the music sector,” says Amy Terrill, Executive Vice President of Music Canada. “The intense interest in the former BC Music Fund’s suite of programs underscores that BC is home to a vibrant, diverse and engaged music community ready to take their songs and businesses to the next level. With this new investment BC will continue to benefit from leveraged private and other government dollars, and ensure the BC music sector remains competitive with other jurisdictions.”

The announcement was made during JUNOs Week, as the Canadian music industry was congregated in Vancouver for the 47th annual JUNO Awards, celebrating excellence in Canadian music while also showcasing Vancouver, and the province’s music sector to the rest of the country.

“This is a great day for the province’s music scene allowing us to build on the momentum of the last two years,” says Alex Grigg, Executive Director of Music BC. “In this time, our industry has focused on helping BC artists develop their careers and showcase their talent around the world, boost business in BC studios, create greater opportunities for live music performances that bolster activity in our communities, and facilitate professional development so that we can build a stronger, more sustainable industry. On behalf of the staff, board of directors and the BC music industry we extend our gratitude to the Government of BC and Minister Beare for their continued support and investment into the BC Music sector.”

Music BC and Music Canada would also like to thank all members of the BC music community who participated in the effort to secure provincial funding and shared their insights, experiences and success stories. The one-year investment of $7.5 million will contribute to BC’s strong and vibrant communities and also benefit BC tourism, arts and creative industries, and small business development.

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For more information:

Corey Poole, Music Canada
cpoole@musiccanada.com
(647) 808-7359

Neesha Hothi, Music BC
nh@neeshcommunications.ca
(604) 715-6057

 

About Music Canada
Music Canada is a non-profit trade organization that represents the major record companies in Canada: Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada. Music Canada also works with some of the leading independent record labels and distributors, recording studios, live music venues, concert promoters, managers and artists in the promotion and development of the music cluster. For more on Music Canada, please visit www.musiccanada.com

About Music BC
Music BC Industry Association is a not for profit association serving the for profit and non-profit music industry, including artists from all genres, industry professionals, service providers, studios, promoters, venues, festivals, producers, agents, managers and educational institutions. For more on Music BC, please visit www.musicbc.org

Categories: Industry News, Music Cities, Music Tourism, News Release, Uncategorized
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#EveryStage: How Music Canada’s Music Cities advocacy aims to make Canadian municipalities more music and musician friendly

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Last week Music Canada launched our JUNOS 2018 #EveryStage campaign, intended to highlight the ways our advocacy supports artists at every stage of their career, with a blog about our aim to secure equitable access to quality music education for all young Canadians.

We’re proud to return as a Platinum Partner of the 47th annual JUNOS, sponsoring both the Album of the Year category as well as the official kickoff to JUNO weekend, the Welcome Reception.

In the second installment of our four-part series leading up the 2018 JUNO Awards, we’ll explore Music Cities and Music Canada’s efforts to help make Canadian municipalities more music and musician-friendly. A Music City is a community of any size with a vibrant music economy.


Why it’s important

Vibrant and actively promoted local music ecosystems bring a wide array of benefits to both cities and the musicians inhabiting them. Economic growth, job creation, increased spending, greater tax revenues and cultural development are just a few examples.

“Live music is a growth industry in Ottawa. It shapes our identity and who we are as a city. In addition to the cultural benefits, a thriving music industry helps to level the playing field for our homegrown companies who are competing to attract talent from around the world.” – Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa


How we advocate

Music Canada’s world-renowned and globe-spanning research has identified several key strategies that cities both large and small can use to grow and strengthen their music economy. We work with municipal governments and regional partners to implement music and musician-friendly policies, establish music offices and advisory boards, as well as promote music tourism, audience development and access to the spaces and places where music is made.

Cities across Canada, including London, Vancouver, Hamilton, Calgary, Toronto, Barrie/Simcoe County, Halifax, Moncton, Ottawa, Windsor-Essex, Guelph and more have implemented or are exploring measures to maximize the impact, growth and support for their local music ecosystems, and Music Canada has been proud to provide support through our research and expertise in the development of these strategies.


Learn more

Our 2015 report The Mastering of a Music City represents a roadmap that communities of all sizes can follow to realize the full potential of their music economy. Truly global in scale, the report is the result of more than forty interviews with music community experts, government officials, and community leaders in more than twenty cities on every continent.

“This should remove barriers to performing and creating music. Ultimately the goal is to create a more sustainable music community where artists and professionals can enjoy successful careers.” – Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada

Our annual Music Cities Summit at Canadian Music Week brings policymakers, city planners and global music industry representatives together to discuss, learn and collaborate.

Chambers of commerce have an opportunity to carve out a leadership role in leveraging music as a driver of employment and economic growth. In 2016, Music Canada partnered with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) to create a Music Cities Toolkit, designed to provide the CCC’s network of over 450 chambers of commerce and boards of trade, in all regions of the country, with a guide to activate the power of music in their city.

“The cities of Kitchener and Waterloo have long recognized that a comprehensive and coordinated approach for live music allows us to not only expand our existing events such as the Kitchener Blues Festival but also attract new business and retain talent. As this document confirms, Music Canada is a tremendous resource for all stakeholders in formulating a local strategy, particularly in bridging municipal, business and cultural sector interests. Through national and international experience they know what works for the benefit of the entire community.” –  Ian McLean, President & Chief Executive Officer, Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce

Live Music Measures Up is the first comprehensive economic impact study of the live music industry in Ontario. It provides critical data and information to help guide decision-making within the sector, in government and other allied stakeholders.

“Measuring Live Music represents an historic, timely and monumental opportunity; one which will enable us to entrench the true value of the live music economy in the minds of our stakeholders, government and audiences alike. It’s inspiring to see the sector organize, work together and build on the momentum we can all feel – here in the Province and around the world – the kind that will help guarantee live music takes its rightful place as one of Ontario’s greatest natural resources.” – Erin Benjamin, Executive Director, Music Canada Live

         

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The Washboard Union surprised with first Canadian Gold plaque

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Canadian country group The Washboard Union were surprised with their first Canadian Gold award plaques by Warner Music Canada last week for the single “Shot Of Glory.” The Vancouver-based trio received the awards in Toronto during a listening session of their brand new album. Following the presentation, they took to their social media accounts to announce the news to their fans.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfwA1TvhkoM/?taken-by=warnermusiccanada

Watch the video for “Shot Of Glory” below.

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City of Toronto’s recently released Economic Development and Culture Divisional Strategy provides framework for arts, culture, and business to thrive

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The City of Toronto has released its new Economic Development and Culture Divisional Strategy. The report establishes the Division’s priorities over the next five years (2018-2022), and provides the framework that will be used to guide the development of the Divisional programs and services.

The development of the Strategy included robust consultation with over 400 city residents and industry partners, a process that Music Canada was an active participant in. The feedback received provided insight into the importance of supporting the culture sector, and its key role in supporting the growth of a vibrant economy and business community.

Some of the key objectives the strategy aims to accomplish was to “encourage Toronto’s cultural vibrancy through more and enhanced cultural experiences,” as well as to further “engage partners in the planning and development of the City’s economic and cultural resources.”

The Economic Development and Culture (EDC) Divisional Strategy includes several strategic goals and actions, with a focus on improving four key areas:

  1. Equity and Inclusion
  2. Talent and Innovation
  3. Space and Access
  4. Operational Excellence

Some of the strategy’s areas of interest are highlighted below:

Improving affordability and access to arts and culture spaces

One of the key goals that is outlined in the strategy is working to “improve access and affordability of space for business and culture.” Some of the proposed actions to address this include: leveraging incentives and grants to support access to these spaces, advocating for the establishment of affordable, sustainable spaces for business and culture, and working to support opportunities for multi-tenant, shared spaces and hubs.

As was highlighted in our Mastering of a Music City report, access to affordable arts and culture facilities (spaces and places) is vital to the health of vibrant Music Cities. Rapidly rising rents and property taxes has significantly impacted the ability of live venues, rehearsal spaces, and arts hubs to continue operating, threatening the livelihoods of the artists who require access to them. The City has taken steps to help protect and support cultural facilities, with the most recent action being the creation of a new tax subclass to support arts/culture hubs and properties.

Another positive step to note was the recent decision of the Economic Development Committee to pass a number of Toronto Music Advisory Council (TMAC) recommendations aimed at providing better support for live music in the city. Of particular interest is the recommendation to create tax benefits for local live music venues, a policy action that would help achieve the key priority of venue sustainability.

Enhancing opportunities for artists and creators to access public spaces

Another key goal included in the EDC Strategy was increasing access to City-owned space, through: improving opportunities for community use of EDC-managed facilities, and working with City divisions to explore the feasibility of making other City-owned spaces available for use. Providing opportunities for local musicians to perform in public spaces within their own city is one of the ways a municipality can help to grow and support its vibrant music ecosystem.

Outstanding examples of these types and events and programming include City Hall Live and the YYZ Live performance series, a musical celebration that featured 150 performances from 75 local artists at Pearson International Airport.

 

The EDC Division’s previous two strategies – released in 2011 and 2013 – helped contribute the development of a Toronto Music Strategy, as well as the establishment of Music and Film Sector Development Teams.

It is encouraging to note that the new strategy further solidifies the City’s commitment to supporting the culture sector, recognizing the tremendous cultural and economic impact of the arts.

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Music Canada now curates Gold/Platinum playlists on Apple Music

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Toronto, Feb. 27, 2018: Music Canada today announced it is curating music through its new profile on Apple Music. The popular Gold/Platinum certification and awards program joins a growing roster of curators on the service, which includes a variety of media publications, lifestyle brands, festivals, and record labels, including Music Canada member organizations Universal Music Canada, Warner Music Canada, Sony Music Canada, 604 Records, Last Gang, and Cadence Music.

Music fans can follow the Gold/Platinum Canada curator channel through the Playlists section of Apple Music. Five unique playlists are available upon launch, including Gold In Canada which is updated every Thursday with 50 of the latest singles that have the coveted Gold certification, as well as 2017: Year-End Recap, which features more than 300 songs newly certified in 2017.

There are three new all-Canadian playlists available now on Apple Music:

  • Canada Rocks The 2000s – a selection of Canadian rock and alternative hits certified by Music Canada that filled the airwaves and our portable music players in the Aughts;
  • Canada Vibes – a timeline of Gold/Platinum-certified Canadian hip-hop, rap, and R&B;
  • Forty 45s – a collection of past Canadian hits, originally certified by Music Canada as Physical Vinyl or CD Singles.

Music Canada first began accepting on-demand streaming data towards Gold/Platinum certifications with the launch of the Single Award in 2016. In the summer of 2017, Music Canada updated the guidelines for the historic Album Award to begin including Stream Equivalent Albums (SEA) and Track Equivalent Albums (TEA).

Check out Music Canada’s Gold/Platinum playlists on Apple Music here.

Follow Gold/Platinum Canada on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest certification announcements, award plaque presentations and playlist additions.

For more information:
Bram Gonshor, Music Canada
bgonshor@musiccanada.com
(416) 967-7272 x 0

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Ed Sheeran named 2017’s best-selling global recording artist by IFPI, as Canadians Drake and The Weeknd return to Top 10

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IFPI Global Award – Ed Sheeran
Photo Credit: John Marshall – JM Enternational

The IFPI revealed their Top 10 Global Recording Artist Chart today, naming Ed Sheeran as the world’s best-selling artist of 2017. Sheeran is the fifth recipient of the IFPI Global Recording Artist Award, which recognizes an artist’s international success across physical and digital formats.

Sheeran earned the top spot due to his worldwide success of his album ÷ (Divide) and its multiple hit singles including Shape of You, Castle On The Hill, and Galway Girl. The best-selling album topped the charts in 31 countries and was certified multi-Platinum in 34 markets, including Canada, where it was certified Six Times Platinum. Sheeran also had the world’s best-selling single, as Shape of You topped the charts in 25 countries, and was certified multi-Platinum in 24 markets, including Canada, where it reached Diamond status. That marks the first time that the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year has had both the best-selling album and single of the year.

“Being crowned the biggest star in the world, with the biggest song and biggest album, is the result of years of ambition, creativity, and hard work on a global scale,” said Max Lousada, CEO of Recorded Music for Warner Music Group & Chairman and CEO of Warner Music UK. “Ed is truly an incredible songwriter, vocalist and performer, whose ability to tell stories and make people feel is what stands him out from the crowd. He’s always had a totally authentic connection with his fans, something he places over everything else. Congrats also to Stuart Camp, the Atlantic teams in the UK and US, and everyone at Warner who contributed to Ed’s amazing success story.”

Ed Sheeran presented with multiple award plaques for the album and its singles by Warner Music Canada.

“It’s wonderful to be able to announce Ed Sheeran as the IFPI Global Recording Artist 2017,” said IFPI chief executive, Frances Moore. “The success Ed has achieved is astonishing and testament to his ability to write and perform songs that connect with a truly global fanbase.”

Drake, who received the Global Artist Award in 2016, placed second on the chart this year. His mix tape More Life broke streaming records, including most first-day streams for an album on Spotify, and most streams in a 24 hour period on Apple Music. Fellow Canadian The Weeknd placed 7th on the chart this year, climbing up from the 10th position on the chart in 2016. Both Drake and The Weeknd have now placed in the Top 10 on this chart for three consecutive years.

“This year’s Global Top 10 really is a ‘who’s who’ of popular music,” continued Moore. “Each artist has a unique impact on the music industry through the talent and energy they are channelling through their work. I congratulate them all for such a successful year.”

The full Top 10 list, which was counted down by the IFPI on Twitter, is now available below.

Top 10 Global Recording Artists 2017

1 Ed Sheeran
2 Drake
3 Taylor Swift
4 Kendrick Lamar
5 Eminem
6 Bruno Mars
7 The Weeknd
8 Imagine Dragons
9 Linkin Park
10 The Chainsmokers

Previous Winners

2016 Drake
2015 Adele
2014 Taylor Swift
2013 One Direction

 

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Music March For Music Therapy returns to Toronto for fifth year

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Music Canada is proud to return as a sponsor for the 5th Annual Music March for Music Therapy in Toronto on Sunday, March 4, 2018, in support of the Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund in partnership with the Canadian Association of Music Therapists.

The march will take place along Bloor Street West, which is a new route for the annual family-focused march. Participants will depart from the Music Therapy Center (1175 Bloor St. W) at noon and will end at Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor St. W) around 1:15pm, where amazing entertainment, delicious food, fun activities, and tons of auction prizes await.

This year’s fundraising goal has been set to $25,000 in honour of the charity’s 25th anniversary, which works to enhance our communities by providing accessible music therapy to our nation’s most vulnerable and underserved populations.

The march is free to attend, while the after party at Lee’s Palace will be $25 at door unless the attendee has made a fundraising page. Those who would like to donate to the fund but cannot attend the event can do so at the same page. Stay tuned to the Facebook event page for more information on the afternoon, including the reveal of this year’s musical ambassadors and performers!

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2018 JUNO Award nominees announced at press conference in Toronto

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Felix Cartal, who earned two JUNO nominations Tuesday, performs at The Great Hall in Toronto.

The 2018 JUNO Award nominees were revealed earlier today during a press conference at Toronto’s Great Hall. Arcade Fire and Jessie Reyez lead this year’s nominees with four nominations, followed by Arkells, Gord Downie, Hedley, and Ruth B with three nominations. Reyez, along with two-time nominee Daniel Caesar and Vancouver natives Hedley, were also revealed as the first performers for the 47th annual broadcast, which will take place Sunday, March 25, 2018 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC.

Music Canada is proud to return as a sponsor for the 2018 Album of the Year award, which includes Arcade Fire’s Everything Now, Johnny Reid’s Revival, Michael Bublé’s Nobody But Me, Ruth B’s Safe Haven, and Shania Twain’s Now. 

Tuesday’s event kicked off with a performance by Gold-certified electronic producer Felix Cartal, and was hosted by Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe of CBC Music, the exclusive broadcast and content partner of the 2018 JUNO Awards.

Following introductory remarks by CARAS and MusiCounts CEO & President Allan Reid, CBC’s Executive Vice President Heather Conway revealed the broadcaster’s plans for their 2018 JUNO coverage, which will include a worldwide broadcast of the award show, exclusive cover sessions, podcasts, and a livestream of the highly anticipated JUNO Songwriters’ Circle. Conway also revealed that Sunday, March 25, will be known as Music Day on CBC, featuring a celebration of Canadian music across all platforms leading up to the evening’s broadcast.

Reid then returned to the podium to outline CARAS’ leadership towards improving gender parity within the music industry.

“There are very important conversations happening in our world right now around gender equality and sexual harassment,” said Reid. “It is critical that we work collectively as an industry to support a larger representation of women in music and encourage a culture that nurtures their participation and success.”

Reid continued by outlining CARAS’ efforts within the organization, including the formation of a working group to evaluate their initiatives related to equality inclusion and respect, and a scholarship for women in the technical field of production and engineering, During JUNO Week, CARAS will work with Let’s Hear It, the 2018 JUNO host committee, on a program called “Good Night Out” to promote safety and prevent sexual harassment at clubs. As well, 2018 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award recipient Denise Donlon will host a panel and keynote during JUNO Week on paving a path to success for women in the industry.

More performers and additional details on JUNO Week concerts and events will be revealed in the coming weeks. A new block of tickets are now on-sale for the broadcast, with $1 from each ticket sale being donated to MusiCounts through a partnership with Plus 1.

You can watch CBC Music’s full archived livestream of the press conference below:

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Music Canada proud to return as sponsor of Album of the Year category at the 2018 JUNO Awards

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Earlier today the nominees for the 2018 JUNO Awards were revealed at a press conference at Toronto’s Great Hall. Music Canada is proud to return as sponsor of the Album of the Year category for the 47th annual JUNO Awards. The 2018 Album of the Year nominees are:

  • Everything Now – Arcade Fire (Sony)
  • Revival – Johnny Reid (Halo*Universal)
  • Nobody But Me – Michael Bublé (Warner)
  • Safe Haven – Ruth B (Sony)
  • Now – Shania Twain (Mercury*Universal)

“Congratulations to everyone involved in the making of these fantastic albums. We at Music Canada are incredibly proud to help recognize Canadian artists, their record label teams, and other individuals who have helped them reach the pinnacle of celebration and achievement in Canadian music,” says Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada.

“Whether celebrating success at the highest level through our support for institutions like the JUNO Awards and our Gold/Platinum program or fostering the next generation of artists through music education in Canadian schools, Music Canada’s advocacy supports artists at every stage of their career,” says Henderson. “Our Music Cities work aims to make cities more music and musician friendly, promoting sustainability and growth of music ecosystems at the municipal level. And through our federal copyright advocacy, we strive to ensure music creators are properly compensated whenever their work is commercialized by others.”

In addition to the Album of the Year, Music Canada will return as sponsor of the 2018 Welcome Reception for JUNOs weekend, happening Saturday, March 23 in Vancouver. The 47th annual JUNO Awards will be broadcast live on CBC beginning at 5pm PT and 8pm EST on Sunday, March 25. You can also watch the live steam on CBC Music’s Facebook page.

Ticket information for the 2018 JUNO Awards broadcast and other 2018 JUNO Awards events is available on the JUNOs website.

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