Deerhoof leaves Spotify, but not over royalties: Full StatementTrailblazing indie band Deerhoof leaves Spotify, pulling all of their music off the streamer. Their music will still be available on Apple Music, Amazon Music and other streaming platforms.
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MIDiA Research 2025-2032 global music forecasts | RecalibrationWe are pleased to announce the release of MIDiA’s annual music forecasts report. This is always a labour of love and takes a bit longer than some other entities’ forecasts as our approach is more Etsy than Amazon, with every single line of data (and there are thousands of them) being hand crafted, individually stress tested and cross checked. 

It might not be a very scalable approach, but as so many stakeholders in the music business rely on our numbers for business and investment strategy, it is a responsibility we take very seriously. As tempting as it would be just to say ‘CAGR is…’ and populate across the 39 different markets, we know from experience that short cut approaches almost always result in short comings. Perhaps most important of all is the thinking and industry expertise that goes into the numbers. There are no facts about the future, so forecasts are always a mathematical representation of human thought (and, no, I am not opening the AI can of worms). MIDiA clients can get the full 83-page report and 50+ sheet Excel here. Here are some highlights.

First off, the big number: by 2032, global recorded music revenues will be $110.8 billion. This figure is retail terms (i.e., includes DSP / retailer and publishing revenues) and includes:

Traditional revenues (streaming, downloads, physical, performance, sync)

Non-DSP streaming (TikTok, etc.)

Expanded Rights (labels’ share of live, merch, branding, etc.)

Label licensing revenue for audio visual content (documentaries, biopics, etc.)

Production music

Full representation of the long tail of independent artists and labels

That is the maximalist view. The more minimalist view (label revenues excluding Expanded Rights) sees 2032 revenues reach $51.2 billion.

After something of a boom year in 2023, revenue growth slowed to 4.3% in 2024. In fact, 2024 continued an oscillating growth pattern we have seen all decade, with strong growth years followed by weaker ones. The years with weaker growth coincided with declines in physical and (most often) weaker streaming growth. While this gives physical a kingmaker status, it also reflects maturing streaming growth: when the main revenue source grows at more modest rates, shifts in smaller revenue sources is the difference between strong and weaker growth.

We titled this year’s report ‘Recalibration’ as everything points in this direction:

New growth dynamics: Oscillation and slowing streaming are the new growth framework for the global market

Clear shift away from the West: Close to four firths of subscriber growth came from non-Western markets and China became the world’s fourth largest recorded music market. We titled last year’s report ‘Rise of the Global South’. This is the market’s new reality. Which helps explain why so many Western rightsholders are snapping up Global South repertoire and rightsholders. Will catalogue investors follow suit?

New DSP power dynamics: DSPs are growing influence and power, as reflected the ‘bundles’ licensing discounts. Labels got their ‘artist centric’ licensing in return but the long-term implication is DSPs have the precedent of reducing the royalty pot

New outlook for ad supported streaming: Revenue was flat in 2024. Part of this was actually a good news story (more music videos being monetised in the higher value confines of YouTube Premium). Part of it was another reflection of DSP power, with advertisers increasingly opting for the better targeting of podcast inventory versus music

Rapid rise of AI: While rightsholders were locked in legal battles, the marketplace has become awash with generative AI companies and this music is flooding DSPs. While some of these companies are seeking to operate ethically and in partnership with rightsholders, many are pursuing the ’do first, ask forgiveness later’ approach that served earlier disruptors like YouTube and TikTok so well

As you can imagine, with an 83-page report, this is but a tiny taster of the report, but hopefully it has given you a sense of the macro dynamics at play in today’s and tomorrow’s music business. If you want to go a little deeper still, keep an eye out for an exclusive video of the report’s analysts talking through some more of our thinking and numbers. In the meantime, if you are a client, you can find the report here.

Music Tectonics Startup Competition Opens 2025 ApplicationsThe popular Swimming with Narwhals Music Tectonics Startup Competition has opened applications for 2025.
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Classical Highlights for June 2025As usual, we heard a wide-ranging variety of classical music this past month. What stands out in the best releases is the thoughtfulness, whether in the programming of the selected works or the interpretation of them. Anna Lapwood's (pictured) Firedove was meant to keep listeners guessing and engaged. Explore this recording and more in our June classical highlights.

Live Review of Cockney Rejects Contact: sue@opaquemanagement.co.uk Web: cockneyrejects.com Players: Jeff “Stinky” Turner, vocals; Michael “Olga” Algar, guitar; JJ Kaos, bass; Ray Dust, drums There was a feeling of togetherness at the Regent Theater on a Friday evening in May, a genuine vibe of punk family. Let's face it—no casual punk fans are venturing out to see English Oi! pioneers the Cockney Rejects in 2025. No, the people at the Regent for this show were lifers. It was a mixed bag of young and old, male and female, various cultures. A Cockney Rejects crowd is anything but one-dimensional. But the one thing they have in common is a commitment to punk. There was a long list of openers and we got to the Regent in time to see the last two—Castillo and The Voids. Both were appropriately riotous, noisy, and had a few gems on the setlist. If the job was to warm up the crowd for the Rejects while earning a few new fans, then it was a case of job well done. But nobody was upstaging the Rejects. It had somehow passed us by that Toy Dolls man Olga is now playing guitar for the CRs— vocalist Stinky Turner is the one remaining OG, and he assembled a new Rejects lineup in 2024. But Stinky, Olga, bassist JJ Kaos (Last Resort, Anti-Nowhere League) and drummer Ray Dust (The Business, Argy Bargy) are a formidable presence. The setlist was perfect. Opening with "Flares 'n' Slippers," they blasted through "We Are the Firm," "Are You Ready to Ruck," and "Bad Man" with no small amount of joy. Stinky did his shadow boxing thing, the veteran football/soccer warrior that he is. And when he introduced bonafide classic "The Greatest Cockney Rip Off" as a singalong, the crowd didn't let him down. That crowd, incidentally, didn't give the band a moment's peace. There was barely a second where at least one future stagediver wasn't up there with them, throwing sweaty limbs around and yelling into the mics. Hey, that's punk! They ended with their version of West Ham F.C.'s anthem "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles," and then their trademark "Oi! Oi! Oi!" Everyone then spilled out onto the Downtown Los Angeles street, drained and sweat-soaked, but very, very happy. The post Live Review of Cockney Rejects first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

As AI deepfakes spread, Denmark plans to give individual citizens copyright ownership of their own face and voiceThe proposed law is believed to be the first of its kind in Europe, but US legislators are working on similar initiatives
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Apple Music adds a Musicians hub, Replay, Apple Radio specialsTo mark its 10th anniversary Apple Music adds a musicians hub and new features to mark its 10th anniversary. The creative campus and studio will open this summer in Los Angeles.
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Live Music News Roundup: NIVA, new Maine Ticket Law, ScalpersThis latest live music news roundup includes 2025's NIVA conference news, a tough new law in Maine, scalper financing and more.
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New Music Critique: New Middle ClassContact: info@newmiddleclass.comWeb: newmiddleclass.com/arguingSeeking: Review, Film/TVStyle: Acoustic Pop-RockNew Middle Class is a duo with a distinct sound, but one voice clearly outshines the other—making for a tricky balance. The standout track, “Oh, Lord! (A Vision),” leans into funky, off-kilter production that’s minimal but bold. Barbara Borok’s vocals don’t quite rise to meet the moment like her counterpart, Mike Borok, resulting in a contrast that makes it hard to rate the pair as a cohesive unit. Still, there’s charm here, especially on the playful “Tenth Commandment.” With tighter vocal balance and more synergy between voice and production, they could carve a sharper silhouette in the indie-pop landscape.The post New Music Critique: New Middle Class first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

New Music Critique: MOTOContact: mpdrpic@gmail.comWeb: instagram.com/motomusiclandSeeking: Radio, Film/TVStyle: Americana RockMOTO brings gritty, raspy vocals that nod to classic rock ‘n’ roll; however, on the breakneck “Immortal,” it’s more growling than singing—energetic, sure, but lacking nuance. “The Jist” slows things down for a more narrative feel, but the production and vocals don’t quite carry the weight, leaving the track feeling a bit flat. They clearly aim for that raw, old-school feel, but without the chops, it’s difficult to really make it pop. With sharper focus and stronger delivery, they could own that vintage energy—but for now, they’re still carving out their place, with glimmers of promise that haven’t yet cut through the retro noise.The post New Music Critique: MOTO first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Independent Musician News: Community, Cringe, and Getting PaidListen up! Last week’s collection of independent musician news and helpful tips includes a guide on converting listeners to fans, cringe becomes a commodity, and more… Independent Musician News
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Out Take: Grayson SandersFounder of ChordalWeb: chordal.comMusic licensees often face this problem: a song or a piece of music has multiple rightsholders, and all of them have to give their approval before the music can be licensed. This can make music clearance a cumbersome, costly and/or completely prohibitive process for licensees, as well as prevent an artist’s music from reaching a broader audience. To address this common issue, music licensing platform Chordal created InstantClear, a technology designed to streamline the licensing process by getting music licenses approved in advance so licensees can tap into a wealth of music they otherwise would not be able to access.  “Too often we hear, ‘Well, we’d like to license that song, but we’d have to find all the rightsholders and get them on board, so it’ll never happen,’” says Chordal founder Grayson Sanders. “InstantClear builds upon Chordal’s existing technology that allows different song owners to be hands-on with how they control their shares of music rights. Our format kind of creates a happy medium between giving the rightsholders agency and licensees a pathway forward.” InstantClear doesn’t have set pricing models for songs for several reasons, including giving rightsholders more power. “In some areas of the music business, it makes sense to have unification around rates, but there is a lot more nuance to sync licensing,” Sanders says. Sanders sees a lot of potential for growth on the horizon for music rightsholders, particularly in the social/video game space, where music integration is expanding and creating unprecedented opportunities for fans to discover and engage with music. “There are a lot of possibilities for platforms to take advantage of user data to integrate music in more personalized ways, where it’s a central part of the user experience, and the user is empowered to listen to the music they want to hear.”The post Out Take: Grayson Sanders first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Gallery: Out West, presented by Milk & Honey with LaPolt Law, Music Business Worldwide and other friendsHosted by Milk & Honey CEO, Lucas Keller, Out West was a 'Social Sunday' for LGBTQ+ creatives and executives in the music industry.
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Live Music Industry News: NIVA ’25 wraps • How scalpers evade laws • Tixel to US • DJ events rule • Eventbrite study • Blue Note to LA • MoreLatest Live Music Industry News Under The LIVE INDUSTRY NEWS tab above
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How Ticket & Scalper Financing Inflates Prices and Excludes FansChris Castle on how ticket and scalper financing inflates prices and make it harder for real fans to buy. As resellers get millions in credit to hoard tickets, fans are left paying more - or missing out entirely.
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