Merlin Member Survey 2017A great leap forward, with one step back Audio streaming growth outstrips video 3-to-1 as distributions to independent labels hit $353m 8th June, New York: - Merlin, the global digital rights agency for the independent label sector, will today unveil results of their 2017 member survey at A2IM’s annual meeting. Now in its fifth year, the survey draws on responses from hundreds of independent record labels and distributors across 40 countries - tracking changes to their business over the past calendar year, as well as current trends and developments. As with previous years, the results are complemented by an updated analysis of Merlin’s revenue distributions. Representing the most valuable set of rights outside of those controlled by the three major labels, Merlin’s 700-strong membership commands in excess of 12% of the global digital recorded music market across more than 20,000 labels - including such globally-recognised label brands as Beggars Group, Domino, Epitaph/Anti, Kobalt Music Recordings, [PIAS], Secretly Group, Sub Pop and Warp Records. HEADLINE FINDINGS MERLIN REVENUE DISTRIBUTIONS UP 52% TO $353m
A GREAT LEAP FORWARD: AUDIO STREAMING COMES OF AGE
BUT ONE STEP BACK: VIDEO STREAMING UNDERPERFORMS
Concurrently, and similar to findings in 2016, 42% of members report that services such as YouTube account for less than 5% of their digital revenues. This equates to a significant market disparity, with video streaming services commanding ten times more users than audio streaming services - but returning less than a tenth of the revenues. DIGITAL DOMINATES OVERALL BUSINESS REVENUES FOR TWO-THIRDS OF MERLIN MEMBERS
CONSISTENT BUSINESS GROWTH FOR THREE YEARS IN SUCCESSION
MERLIN MEMBERS’ MUSIC THRIVES ON PAID-FOR SUBSCRIPTION TIERS
STREAMING OPENS INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNTIES
Charles Caldas, CEO, Merlin, said: “Over the past 12 months, we have witnessed a great leap forward. Audio streaming is now dominating Merlin members’ digital business, and we are continuing to see the vast majority of our independent labels thrive under what are very different market dynamics. “As a global-facing agency, it is especially pleasing to see such consistent international growth, and the continuing over-performance of Merlin-licensed repertoire on paid subscription tiers. Clearly, the labels we represent and the artists they support hold a unique value to music fans the world over. The only relative step backwards is the industry-wide underperformance of video-streaming. If we can address this market anomaly, then the uplift across the business would be enormous.” [1] Based on an analysis of several billion streams (Jan-March 2017)
June 8, 2017 4:00am ET by Name PR
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