Music Industry Analysis
Music Biz curates a feed of music industry news articles, business statistics and trend analysis from a variety of media outlets, filtering out the noise to deliver you the actionable insights you need to succeed. Starting in 2024, these articles will be accessible exclusively from Music Biz’s social media feeds.
May 13, 2021 – A Guide to Mental Health Resources for Music Professionals
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, designated each year as a period to spread awareness and education about the importance of mental health care in the U.S. The month has taken on added importance during the ongoing pandemic, during which millions of musicians and other music industry workers have been cut off from their livelihoods during the widespread shutdown of live events. While mental health care is critically important for music workers even in a normal year,... Read More
May 12, 2021 – Nashville Music Biz Begins Meeting In Person Again After Year Of COVID-19
With Country artists rolling out tour plans in anticipation of a receding pandemic, Nashville executives are beginning to make personal appearances again, too. It’s a slow trickle of two- and three-person meetings at the moment rather than a wave of large gatherings and parties, but music professionals are starting to visit with people in the flesh that they’ve only seen via Zoom or in photos over the last year. Two-person staff meetings, limited client visits and the time-honored lunch appointment are making a comeback in Music City as COVID-19 vaccinations are on the rise.... Read More
May 11, 2021 – 6 “Different” Albums That Will Entice Your Fans to Buy
People just don’t buy albums like they used to. In fact, so few music lovers opt to purchase a new release these days, some artists and bands just getting started opt not to have anything physical made at all whenever they have a new full-length to share. Sure, the focus has shifted to digital-only, with streaming taking over the music industry in the past few years, but to ignore physical formats entirely is to miss a golden opportunity to make some extra cash from your most ardent followers.... Read More
May 5, 2021 – The Next Bet in Music: Artist Services
New York-based Downtown is exiting the copyright market at a moment when investors are paying top dollar for high-profile catalog sales by Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks and Neil Young. Its new direction is a bet that the proliferation of streaming means more artists will need help getting their music out and making money from it. During the era of CDs and digital downloads, signing to a label was essentially the only way for an artist to have their music distributed,... Read More
April 6, 2021 – Music As A Souvenir: Cassette Sales Double During the Pandemic
Described by some as “Europe’s biggest tech show”, the Berlin Radio Show has long been famous for exhibiting the next big thing in consumer electronics. In 1963, that was the compact audio cassette, introduced at the time by its creator, the late Dutch engineer Lou Ottens, who died in early March. Over the course of Ottens’ lifetime, cassette tapes came to redefine listening habits, which until then had been limited to the much more unwieldy vinyl record.... Read More
April 5, 2021 – How 5G Will Change Media, Entertainment, and Marketing
After years of anticipation, fifth-generation wireless technology is finally — albeit slowly — becoming a reality. And though 5G networks aren’t widely available yet, most media and marketing experts believe they will eventually transform the way entertainment, sports, and news are produced, distributed, and consumed. Fully realized 5G networks will usher in a host of new options for streaming content, live events, gaming, and other high-quality immersive and interactive experiences. They’ll also open the door to new models for personalized marketing and advertising.... Read More
April 1, 2021 – More Than 12 Million U.S. Households Have Cut the Cord on Their Home’s Broadband Service
New research from Parks Associates reports more than 12 million US households have cancelled their home broadband service and use only mobile broadband for their internet needs. “Adoption and Perception of Broadband”finds there are more than 15 million households in the US that have only a mobile broadband service, which includes more than three million households that have never had a home internet subscription. Click here to read the full report.... Read More
March 31, 2021 – NRF Forecasts Retail Sales to Exceed $4.33T in 2021 as Vaccine Rollout Expands
The National Retail Federation’s annual forecast anticipates that retail sales will grow between 6.5 percent and 8.2 percent to more than $4.33 trillion in 2021 as more individuals get vaccinated and the economy reopens. “Despite the continuing health and economic challenges COVID-19 presents, we are very optimistic that healthy consumer fundamentals, pent-up demand and widespread distribution of the vaccine will generate increased economic growth, retail sales and consumer spending,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.... Read More
March 30, 2021 – NFTs For Copyrights: Why Non-Fungible Tokens Could Transform Who Gets Paid From Music Rights, and How
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are all the rage in the music industry right now. DJs like 3LAU and Steve Aoki have sold theirs for seven-figure sums. Kings Of Leon just racked up around $2 million selling them bundled with their new album. And, ever the auteur, Grimes recently sold a bunch of NFT-affiliated artwork for around $6 million in just 20 minutes. The dirty little secret of these types of transactions? People are buying unique digital collectibles – but they typically aren’t buying underlying copyrights.... Read More
March 27, 2021 – An Overview of 5G Technology Worldwide 2021
As 5G networks spread and consumers start to upgrade to 5G phones, the long-hyped promise is starting to become a reality—slowly. The biggest performance improvements from 5G still lie in the future, but businesses can start investing in improvements now. What makes 5G networks a big deal? — Networks that operate fully on 5G standards have faster throughput speeds, much lower latency (responsiveness of remote computers), higher connection density, more reliability, and greater flexibility. This should improve the mobile user experience and lead to a slew of new services and businesses.... Read More
