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.

September 14, 2017 – Classic Rock Rocks Again In Summer 2017

Depending on where you live in America, the transition to fall may already be in full swing. Football season, cooler nights, pops of colors in the leaves, and the return to school and working routines signal the passing of another summer. All of these factors influence radio listening and will drive the storylines in future months. But with the release of Nielsen’s portable people meter (PPM) ratings for the August survey, it’s time to put a cap on the format of the summer analysis for this year.... Read More

September 11, 2017 – [Weekly Sales] LCD Soundsystem Lands First #1 Album: Comment from Music Biz President James Donio

James Donio, President of the Music Business Association (Music Biz), commented on this week’s sales numbers issued by Nielsen (published in Billboard: albumssingles) and Border City Media (published in HITS Daily Double: albumssingles). “LCD Soundsystem became the third act in a row to top the Nielsen and BuzzAngle Music charts for the first time this week. American Dream, the band’s first album in over 7 years,... Read More

September 11, 2017 – How College Students Discover and Consume Music

College is where we form lifelong listening habits, so the battle for collegiate ears is an important one. Yesterday, Spotify announced a premium bundle with Hulu for students at just $4.99 to drive sign-ups. Allison Ullrich, Manager, College & Lifestyle Marketing at The Orchard shares key insights into the listening habits of this key. Click here to read more.... Read More

September 8, 2017 – Sounds Like Teen Spirit

In the tech world, the pace of change is as quick as a keystroke. Just look at the changes over the past six years. The smartphone has transitioned from being a “nice-to-have” to a “can’t-live-without it” device.  Digital media is now mainstream and smart devices are steadily creeping into our homes. If you’re an 18-to-24 year-old Generation Z or younger Millennial consumer now, this evolution happened during your teenage years. So how has adulthood changed the way this group listens to the radio—the medium with the biggest national reach?... Read More

September 7, 2017 – Ed Sheeran and Adele Help Propel British Music Exports 11 Percent to $480 Million

Huge selling albums by Adele, Ed Sheeran and David Bowie have helped British music exports climb to record levels, contributing nearly £4.4 billion ($5.8 billion) to the U.K.’s overseas earnings since 2000, according to new figures from labels trade body BPI. In the past decade alone international revenues have climbed by 72 percent, reports BPI, with music exports in 2016 up 11 percent year-on-year to total £365 million ($480 million) — the highest return since BPI began its annual survey at the turn of the century.... Read More

September 7, 2017 – Somebody Asked 13-17 Year Olds How They Listen to Music. Half the Answers Didn’t Exist When They Were Born.

So, how do teenagers really listen to music?  What started as a simple question by a music research firm revealed an unbelievably complicated set of answers.  In fact, most people between the ages of 13-17 exercise a myriad of options when it comes to accessing, discovering, and relaxing to music. Most amazingly, that blend includes both old and new formats, with everything from AM/FM radio to podcasts. Click here to read more.... Read More

September 5, 2017 – Streaming services can find growth in AM/FM’s 176 billion annual listening hours

After being the only game in town for decades, broadcast radio is now battling Internet services that offer better features and vastly different listening experiences. The broadcast (AM/FM) market — not in spite of its size, but because of its size — represents an excellent growth opportunity for any streaming service looking for listening hours and advertising revenue. Click here to read more.... Read More

September 5, 2017 – Streaming Generated $1.3bn For Major Music Labels In Q2 2017

The three major labels – Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner Music – saw their collective recorded-music revenue from streaming grow to just under $1.3bn in the second quarter of 2017. That represents 38.5% growth year-on-year, with the three label groups now collectively making $14.2m a day from streaming. Click here to read more.... Read More

August 31, 2017 – Paradigm Shift: Why Radio Must Adapt To The Rise Of Digital

Broadcast radio is struggling to remain relevant as consumers embrace streaming platforms, according to a groundbreaking study by Musonomics that examines the disruption to radio caused by digital services. Click here to read more.... Read More

August 30, 2017 – MTV Video Music Awards Spur 64% Sales Gain for Kendrick Lamar, Fifth Harmony, Logic & More

The 2017 MTV Video Music Awards generated a sizable sales gain in digital song downloads for tracks performed on the Aug. 27 show, according to Nielsen Music. Collectively, those songs earned a 64 percent sales gain on Aug. 27, as compared to Aug. 26, rising from 46,000 to 75,000 downloads sold. Click here to read more.... Read More