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  • Dot Music domain for musicians and music industry sees global launch

    Dot Music domain for musicians and music industry sees global launch

    MUMBAI: For musicians the world over – both independent and managed – this should come as a breath of fresh air. The .music registry yesterday announced the global launch of the community-based .music top-level domain extension and its verified musicID. 

    Members involved in any form of music  can now  register their .music urls on a first come, first serve basis. Designed to provide verified digital identities for music artists, creators, songwriters, industry professionals, organizations and brands, .music will provide a trusted, vetted and secure digital space and safe haven for legal music consumption.

    The registration and use of .music  is exclusive to verified members of the global music community, enabling them to protect, control and oversee their music identities across the internet. In a time of increasing concern about non-consensual AI deepfakes, voice cloning, and the unauthorised use of the music community’s intellectual property, .music offers a credible solution to these challenging problems.

    The .music domain fosters a more trustworthy and transparent global music ecosystem by helping fans and platforms easily identify music (or content) created by real, authenticated humans and music (or content) entirely generated by unaccountable AI or bots, says a press release issued by the registry.

    “For the first time in music history, the global music industry will be able to register their unique .music name and verified digital music identity. The .music domain and its connected MusicID will provide a trusted, secure, and authentic music-centric Internet where the global music community can safely connect, engage, transact and thrive,” says the founder & CEO of .music Constantine Roussos, a Greek-Cypriot by birth. .

    “The .music launch marks a pivotal moment for the music industry to reclaim control of their digital footprint. By offering verified musicIDs, we are giving the global music community the ability to secure their digital identity, protect their creative works, and ensure that their presence online is authentic and safeguarded from impersonation, fraud, and AI misuse,” says id.music executive director Marina Roussou, the exclusive music identity provider for .music.

    The introduction of .music has got the entire music world excited and supportive of the initiative. A host of global association heads has come out in praise of its launch.

    “As a domain for the global music community, available only to verified artists, companies and organisations active in the music ecosystem, .music will be a valuable tool, strengthening trust and assuring authenticity. IFPI have been longstanding supporters of this initiative,” says International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI)  CEO  Victoria Oakley.

    “The launch of .music verified digital identities is an important step forward in the effort to deliver a safe, trustworthy space for artists, fans, and the global music community. Congratulations to the entire .music  team!” says Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier, who represents labels that collectively create 90 per cent of recorded music sold in the US.

    “We are pleased to see the launch of .music, a project that we believe will strengthen the global music community by creating a new level of trust, connection and reliability between all the players involved and, most importantly, with music consumers. Cisac has been a longstanding supporter of the .music initiative and we are delighted to see this ambitious project reaching the finishing line and coming to fruition,” says director general of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (Cisac) Gadi Oron, the world’s largest network in the creative sector with 227 societies in 116 countries.

    “On behalf of the International Music Council, I extend our warmest congratulations on the occasion of .music going live on 8 October.  We celebrate this monumental achievement aimed at offering dependable and secure digital domains for music globally. This is perfectly in line with the five music rights and we are delighted to be part of it,” says International Music Council (IMC) president Sheila C. Woodward, the world’s largest network of music organisations and institutions in 150 countries with direct access to over 1,000 organizations and 600 million through its members.

    “Today’s music industry is global and digitised. ICMP is pleased to partner .music. The newly launched .music online domain name provides a global gateway for music creators and businesses around the world,” says the International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP) director general John Phelan.

    “The .music domain is launching at a vital time for the music industry. The NMPA applauds this ambitious initiative and the protections it offers creators who face evolving threats to authenticity from AI,” says National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) president & CEO  David Israelite.

    “With the music industry currently at a pivotal moment in time when it comes to protecting human creation in the face of AI and other disruptive technologies, the launch of the .music domain is another welcome tool that will help ensure authenticity and trust between artists, businesses and consumers alike. IMPF has been an active supporter of the community-based .music top-level domain for over a decade, so we’re incredibly aware of and grateful for the hard work that has got us to this point,” says counsel to the board of directors of the Independent Music Publishers International Forum (IMPF) Ger Hatton.

    “.music places security, respect for rights, and innovation at the heart of its approach. The FIM is proud to have contributed to the success of this project through its continuous support. Beyond a mere domain name, .music offers a high value-added service to professional musicians,” says the International Federation of Musicians (FIM)  general secretary Benoît Machuel, representing musicians’ trade unions, guilds and associations worldwide.

    “The Recording Academy is thrilled to continue our support of the .MUSIC initiative, especially during a time of such immense evolution of our industry where it has never been more important to protect human creativity. From its inception, the project has sought to provide a safe and reliable digital domain for music creators, and it will foster more trust and security for our entire music ecosystem,” says Recording Academy/Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.

    “A2IM has supported the .MUSIC initiative from the outset, and we’re thrilled to see it become a reality. This domain fosters trust, connection, and reliability within the global music community. It will create a safe, innovative ecosystem that benefits artists, labels, and music consumers alike, fulfilling our shared vision for a stronger, more unified industry,” says American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) president & CEO Richard James Burgess, representing the collective voice of independent music.

    “Impala’s aims include effectively tackling infringement and giving music consumers the best digital infrastructure based on trust and security. A community run .music system with commitments prevailed with support from Impala and others in the sector. It’s great that the .music domains are now available and will be administered in a way that achieves our mutual objectives and creates a safe and innovative ecosystem. This is part of our mission of growing the independent music sector in Europe,” says Independent Music Companies Association (Impala)  executive chair Helen Smith), representing prominent independent music companies and national trade associations in Europe.

    “The International Music Managers Forum (IMMF) and Music Managers Forum – US (MMF-US) congratulate .music on their launch. This development offers artists and their teams access to a new top-level domain name extension and opportunities to verify digital identities as AI and deep fakes escalate the long-standing issues of trust and veracity online. Representing artists and managers worldwide, IMMF and MMF-US are always interested in connecting our communities with innovation and tools to build a more trustworthy online ecosystem for artists and fans,” says International Music Managers Forum (IMMF) and Music Managers Forum – US (MMF-US) president Neeta Ragoowansi, representing national and regional associations of self-managed artists and managers from over 50 countries.

  • Universal Music Group acquires UK label Oriental Star Agencies’ complete catalogue

    Universal Music Group acquires UK label Oriental Star Agencies’ complete catalogue

    Mumbai:  Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s one of the leaders in music-based entertainment announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase the catalogue of iconic UK-based South Asian record label Oriental Star Agencies (OSA Ltd). The deal includes all of the label’s recordings and where held, publishing rights.

    A slice of over 50 years of South Asian culture and heritage, the catalogue comprises approximately 18,000 songs, concert and video recordings, featuring legendary and genre-defining Pakistani and Indian artists. The acquisition is another demonstration of UMG’s strategy to accelerate its growth in high potential music markets around the world.  The Asian music market grew by 15.4 per cent in 2022 according to the IFPI, the record labels’ global trade body, with overall revenues from the region accounting for 22.9 per cent of the global market.

    OSA Ltd is a UK-based label with strong local and international ties and a unique history. Founded in 1966 by Muhammad Ayyub and his brothers, who moved from Pakistan to the West Midlands in 1961, the label was borne out of Ayyub’s deep love for music and nostalgia for the music of his childhood. Initially approaching EMI to stock these titles, he went on to import records from Pakistan and India, as he sought to meet the demand of his local community who also craved the authentic sound of their motherland.

    From these local community origins grew the most prominent South Asian record label in the UK. OSA Ltd can be credited with not only introducing authentic South Asian music to a British audience, but also playing a pivotal role in the establishment of the UK Bhangra genre and launching the careers of numerous significant British and South Asian artists.

    Highlights in the catalogue include Malkit Singh (who became the top-selling Bhangra artist worldwide with nearly 5 million album sales), Bally Sagoo, Attaullah Khan and legendary GRAMMY nominated artist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who has recorded over 125 albums. In 2002, the music of OSA Ltd found a fresh audience when several label tracks were featured on the Bend It like Beckham soundtrack. In recognition of this trailblazing contribution to the South Asian music landscape, in 2014, Ayyub was awarded an MBE honour for service to broadcasting, Asian music and community services. In 2017 the OSA Ltd owners finalised a sale to Hi-Tech Music Ltd, another British record label with a strong history spanning 35 years.

    The acquisition complements UMG’s current service offering and will help drive momentum for the South Asian music market, enabling local artists to reach the largest possible audience in the global community.

    Universal Music Group executive vice president of market development Adam Granite said, “This acquisition of a hugely successful and iconic British-Asian label specialising in South Asian music will further increase Universal Music Group’s exposure to, and participation in, a fast growing and rapidly changing market. I am particularly pleased that Universal Music Group will become the next custodian of Oriental Star Agencies, a label that has played an unparalleled role in bridging the musical identities of the UK and South Asia, taking the unique sounds of its artists to a broad audience. We believe this catalogue has huge potential, and look forward to taking it to the next generation of music fans globally.”  

    (Chino) Mohammed Twaseen OSA Ltd said, “This is a momentous day for OSA and all our artists. Becoming part of the UMG family will turbo-charge our South Asian music, helping it to get in front of more music fans across the world. The past decade has seen a true global explosion of music from the region, and now, under UMG’s stewardship, the next decade promises to be even more exciting.”

  • Music listening time through audio streaming up 51 per cent: IFPI

    Music listening time through audio streaming up 51 per cent: IFPI

    Mumbai: The pandemic has taken a severe toll on people’s lives, and impacted their media consumption patterns in more ways than one. According to a new study, it has also led to an increase in the time spent listening to music across the world. People are enjoying more music today than ever before, on an average spending 18.4 hours a week (up from 18 hours in 2019) – the equivalent of listening to 368 three-minute tracks.

    The findings are part of a new study – ‘Engaging with Music 2021’ conducted by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), representing the recording industry worldwide.

    Driven in part by record labels’ investment, engagement with streaming – particularly subscription audio streaming – also continued to grow, demonstrating increasing value to fans. Time spent listening to music through subscription audio streaming grew 51 per cent, as music fans continue to embrace it for the access and autonomy it provides to choose the artists and the music that they love.

    The report measures how people engage with music across 21 countries, and found that fans make their own listening choices, thanks to streaming. The main reasons behind their engagement with streaming were being able to choose their favourite songs, artists, and their own playlists. 68 per cent searched for specific songs and 62 per cent listened to playlists they created more than once a week.

    Around the world, music fans are enjoying a rich and diverse mix of genres. In addition to popular genres, well over 300 different ones were named by at least one person in the 43,000-person study as the music they typically listen to, including gqom, axé, and hokkien song.

    Engagement is fuelled by listeners’ increasingly rich experiences, with music driving innovations such as short-form video, live streaming, and in-game experiences. 68 per cent of the time spent on short-form video apps involved music-dependent videos such as lip-syncing and dance challenges. Furthermore, one in three (29 per cent) said they had watched a music live stream such as a concert in the last 12 months.

    Music makes a powerful contribution to wellbeing, providing comfort and healing to many, especially younger people, in challenging times. 87 per cent said that music provided enjoyment and happiness during the pandemic. 68 per cent of 16-19s said new releases from their favourite artists helped them during the pandemic.

    Music is central to what people enjoy about listening to the radio. 74 per cent listen to it mainly for the music and 73 per cent tune in to their favourite radio station because of the music it plays.

    The availability of unlicensed music remains an issue for the music ecosystem and the threat continues to evolve. Almost one in three (29 per cent) of people had used illegal or unlicensed methods to listen to or download music, and 14.4 per cent had used unlicensed social media platforms for it.

    The data is based on fieldwork conducted in June and July 2021 with 43000 respondents aged between 16 and 64. Panels were nationally representative in each country.

    IFPI chief executive Frances Moore, said, ‘Engaging with Music 2021’ tells the story of how fans around the globe are connecting with the artists and music they love in ways never before imagined.

    “Record companies have enabled artists to develop their vision, licensed an abundance of music tracks to a multitude of platforms, and harnessed new technologies to pave the way for music fans around the world to connect with artists in these growing, and exciting ways. The freedom of record labels to license music to these new and immersive experiences is crucial to the future growth of the entire music ecosystem.  We are campaigning worldwide to ensure governments maintain or implement a fair environment in which such commercial deals can be made,” said Moore.

  • Music industry ponders digital future

    Music industry ponders digital future

    MUMBAI: Who wants free music? Well as a matter of fact everybody. The spiraling downward trend of global music sales for a seventh straight year was the topic of discussion at MIDEM, the IFPI annual industry meeting in Cannes, France.
    Although the popularity of music is as strong as ever, global sales are expected to be down again for 2006 despite digital sales almost doubling to $2 billion.

    The IFPI has met with criticism from some of the major players who insisted that they had been distracted by the fight against piracy which may have also hindered the growth of the legal business.

    In a counter to this allegation IFPI head John Kennedy reportedly told Reuters in an interview that, “Many people around the world tell me that we’ve handled our problems in an incorrect manner but no one tells me what we should have done.

    The industry debated the concept of digital rights management or DRM which can restrict the use of music bought online and was introduced in a bid to contain piracy.
    Its supporters say DRM also offers alternative methods such as subscription or advertising-supported services as the music cannot then be offered onto peer-to-peer networks.
    One drawback of DRM is that tracks bought legally from Web sites such as Rhapsody cannot be used on the market-leading iPod as they are not compatible, potentially restricting the growth of legal sales.

    “DRM is like polonium to some people,” Kennedy said. “Digital rights management is exactly that, it’s the management of digital rights and if we weren’t managing it the headlines would be ‘irresponsible music industry … creates anarchy.’”

    eMusic chief executive David Pakman is a major critic of DRM. His service is the delivers tracks in the MP3 format, meaning they can be played on any portable music player, including the iPod.However, none of the four major labels are ready to supply to this service.

    “It’s the same model that was used for the CD and DVD, universal compatibility, and we think it’s the principal thing holding back the growth of digital today,” he told Reuters.
    EMI Music head of digital Barney Wragg talking to Reuters said that digital was revolutionizing the way they work.
    “I was just talking to (British singer) Joss Stone who is very excited about the opportunities this offers,” Wragg said. “We’re not constrained to the plastic CD box any more. It offers the possibility to do things that could never be done before.”
     

  • Digital music sales estimated to double to around $2 bn in 2006

    Digital music sales estimated to double to around $2 bn in 2006

    MUMBAI: Record labels have become digitally literate companies, selling an estimated S$2 billion worth of music online or through mobile phones in 2006 (trade revenues), almost doubling the market in the last year.

    The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has come out with a report that states that digital sales now account for around 10 per cent of the music market as record companies experiment and innovate with an array of business models and digital music products, involving hundreds of licensing partners.

    Among new developments in 2006, the number of songs available online doubled to four million, thousands of albums were released across many digital formats and platforms, classical music saw a “digital dividend” and advertising-funded services became a revenue stream for record companies.

    However, despite this success, digital music has not yet achieved the “holy grail” of compensating for the decline in CD sales. Meanwhile, digital piracy and the devaluation of music content are a real threat to the emerging digital music business.

    Research suggests that legal actions against large-scale P2P uploaders – some 10,000 of which were announced in 18 countries in 2006 – have helped contain piracy, reducing the proportion of internet users frequently file-sharing in key European markets. Yet actions against individual uploaders are only the second best way of dealing with the problem. IFPI is stepping up its campaign for action from ISPs and will take whatever legal steps are necessary.

    IFPI’s report shows how the record industry is combining digital technology with its traditional skills of discovering and marketing music. It also sets out where the music sector needs action by government and its industry partners to tackle piracy and prevent the undermining of its intellectual property rights.

    Digital is empowering the music consumer: Consumers are finding that digital technology is helping to change their purchasing habits. They are taking advantage of the unlimited ‘shelf space’ in online stores, buying recordings that would have long vanished from the shelves of even the largest offline stores.

    Recent months have also seen digital music distribution channels diversify. A-la-carte download services, led by iTunes, remain the dominant digital format, but they compete in a mixed economy with subscription services, mobile mastertones and more recently new advertising-supported models and video licensing deals on sites like YouTube and MySpace.

    Mobile music accounted for about half of global digital revenues in 2006, but the split between mobile and online varies sharply by country. In Japan around 90% of digital music sales are accounted for by mobile purchases. 2007 could prove to be a landmark year in the mobile music market, as handset makers such as Nokia and Sony Ericsson develop their music phone series. Meanwhile, Apple has announced the launch of the much anticipated iPhone.

    Portable players are one of the major drivers of growth in the digital sector. New figures show that the proportion of portable player owners who source mainly from paid downloads is roughly the same as the proportion who source mainly from unauthorised P2P and free websites (14 per cent). Yet there is still concern at the relatively low levels of digitally purchased music that is stored on devices.

    There is mixed news for the industry when it comes to digital piracy. Independent research analysts Jupiter suggest that record number of high-profile lawsuits against large-scale uploaders in 2006 did have a deterrent effect on illegal file-sharers. As broadband penetration across Europe doubled to 40 per cent between 2004 and 2006, the proportion of users regularly file-sharing fell from 18 per cent to 14 per cent. In the US, lawsuits were the most cited reason by computer users for changing from unauthorised P2P to legal downloading (NPD Group, June 2006).

    Key successes against illegal operators were recorded in 2006; including Kazaa in Australia, Bearshare in the US, ZoekMP3 in Netherlands and Kuro in Taiwan.

    Yet digital piracy is still a massive problem for the music industry and one of the major reasons that the surging legitimate digital market is not expected to make up the shortfall in the decline of the physical market in 2006.

    IFPI chairman and CEO John Kennedy said, “The record industry today has evolved into a digital thinking, digitally literate business. Revenues in 2006 doubled to about $2 billion and by 2010 we expect at least one quarter of all music sales worldwide to be digital. This is a market combining evolution and revolution, where the learning curve is changing direction on a regular basis.

    “The chief winners in the rise of digital music are consumers. They have effectively been given access to 24-hour music stores with unlimited shelf space. They can consume music in new ways and formats – an iTunes download, a video on YouTube, a ringtone or a subscription library.

    “Yet the market remains a challenge. Other industries, such as film and newspapers, are struggling with the same problems that we have had to live with. As an industry we are enforcing our rights decisively in the fight against piracy and this will continue. However, we should not be doing this job alone. With cooperation from ISPs we could make huge strides in tackling internet piracy globally. It is very unfortunate that it seems to need pressure from governments or even action in the courts to achieve this, but as an industry we are determined to see this campaign through to the end.”

  • IMI seals Delhi unit in anti-piracy raid

    IMI seals Delhi unit in anti-piracy raid

    MUMBAI: The Indian Music Industry’s (IMI) anti-piracy team, in co-operation with the Censor Board of India had conducted a raid on 9 November and sealed a piracy unit in West Delhi. Operating under the name of Dugobs Replication Company, the raid on the establishment lead to seizure of goods valued at over Rs 200 million.

    IMI, represents the recording industry of India and is affiliated to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the world industry body.
    The piracy plant located at A – 25/ 2 Naraina Industrial area, phase I, as been hsealed and the establishment owner, Hiranand has been arrested.

    In total, over 90,000 CD’s and 10,00,000 inlay cards have been recovered along with equipment including a stamping and molding unit, a printing unit, a packing unit, a plant handling computer system and over 19 stampers, informs a statement.

    A first information report (FIR) has been registered against the accused and he is currently in police remand while further investigations are ongoing.

    Commenting on the raid, IMI deputy chief coordinator J N Saxena said, “This is an excellent piece of police work on information provided by IMI, and the police is now pursuing leads for facilitating further investigations. It is IMI’s constant endeavour to eradicate piracy, and together with judicial bodies and governmental agencies, we hope to one day seal all such nefarious establishments and bring to justice those who are guilty”.

    Elaborating further, IMI president VJ Lazarus added, “IMI has been working for the last ten years to control piracy and in the last four months itself, it has conducted raids on two of Delhi’s biggest CD plants- Deepak Arts CD plant and Dugobs Replication Company.”

    Deepak Arts CD plant was raided in July 2006 where goods worth over Rs 300 million were seized. The accused Deepak Malhotra, was arrested and placed in judicial custody for more than 40 days.

    IMI has constantly been demanding an optical disc law to be created in India to monitor CD plants. However, there has not been much success on this issue so far, adds the release.

    In Delhi, IPR is being flouted at every nook and corner in places, which include the Pallika Bazar, Chandni Chowk and Lala Lajpatrai market.

  • Online music sales in Europe to help reverse decline in music sales in 2010

    Online music sales in Europe to help reverse decline in music sales in 2010

    MUMBAI: A new report by media researchers Screen Digest, Online Music in Europe: Market Assessment and Forecast predicts that rapidly growing online music sales in Europe will start to halt the decline in overall sales of recorded music, but not until 2010.

    The total European market for online music will have more than doubled from Euro 121 million in 2005 to a forecast Euro 280 million by the end of this year. By 2010 consumer spending on online music in Europe will generate more than Euro 1.1 billion.

    This explosive growth is being driven by rapidly growing broadband penetration and the massive increase in portable music player usage. Over seven per cent of Europeans now use one, up from two per cent in 2004. By the end of 2005 there were 29 million portable music players in Europe and this figure will rise to more than 80 million by 2010.

    However, the big picture is not so rosy for the overall European music market, which has been in decline – losing 22 per cent of its total value since 2001. Screen Digest predicts the market will continue to fall until 2010, at which point online music sales of more than Euro 1 billion a year will begin to offset the decline in physical sales.

    Screen Digest analyst and author of the report Dan Cryan comments, “Online music has been booming. However, online sales alone are not going to be enough to halt the decline in music sales. The music industry needs to make the most of new delivery platforms. We believe with the right strategy – including mobile and online – that the worst might be over by 2010. The industry must adopt a broader approach to selling music, looking beyond the traditional single and album.”

    The report analyses the causes of declining revenues for the music industry and shows that a wider view must be taken to understand and address the change in consumer behavior. It is easy to point the finger at piracy but data from music industry body IFPI suggests that piracy is declining. The number of tracks available on illegal file sharing networks declined from 1.1 billion euros in 2003 to 885 million euros in 2005.

    Instead factors like the gradual erosion of music dedicated shelf space in big retailers, like HMV and Virgin and its replacement with DVDs, books and mobile phones cannot be ignored. Seen in this light the fact that the decline in physical music sales corresponds to the boom in DVD sales begins to look less like a coincidence and more like a cause.