Welcome to Music Enterprise Worldwide’s weekly round-up – the place we be certain 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 scale back their touring prices.
This week’s information cycle was dominated by knowledge on 2024 recorded music revenues, and a wide range of points associated to copyright.
Through knowledge from IFPI, we realized that world recorded music revenues rose 4.8% YoY in 2024, with rising markets and Europe main the best way and the US lagging behind.
The US’s efficiency was highlighted by the RIAA‘s newest report exhibiting 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 traditional 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 swimsuit “totally with out advantage.”
In response to new knowledge issued by the RIAA on Tuesday (March 18), recorded music commerce revenues from streaming in america – 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 12 months, this quantity is unlikely to get trade watchers sizzling beneath the collar.
The US trade’s total 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 12 months, down 1.8% YoY to $1.83 billion…
The IFPIInternational 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 comprise 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 here are 11 fast takeaways from the report…
The maker of ChatGPT, OpenAI, has referred to as for elementary adjustments to US copyright legislation that will permit AI firms to make use of copyrighted works with out permission or compensation to rightsholders.
That’s based on a contemporary coverage submission to the White Home Workplace of Science and Expertise Coverage (OSTP).
The doc doesn’t make completely happy studying for copyright holders, which explains why music stars like Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, and Bette Midler have joined lots 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 data on growing 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 tune 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 traditional Christmas tune ripped off their very own tune referred to as All I Need For Christmas Is You, which was launched in 1989 and “turned a rustic music hit” after “in depth seasonal airplay in 1993,” based on their criticism…
Common Music Group (UMG) has formally filed a movement asking the courtroom 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 totally with out advantage and ought to be dismissed with prejudice.”
UMG writes in its courtroom 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.”
