Fair MusE releases a new report on the changing music ecosystem

Fair MusE has released a new report titled From Value Networks for Recorded Music to Music Ecosystem. The report analyses how Music Streaming Services (MSS) and User-Generated Content (UGC) platforms are reshaping value networks in the music industry, drawing on a systematic review of academic and grey literature, along with case studies on YouTube and Spotify.

Key Findings:

• The music ecosystem now revolves around distribution, with MSS and UGC platforms playing key roles. Lower barriers to entry allow more creators to bypass traditional gatekeepers like record labels, but new gatekeepers such as aggregators and platforms have taken their place.
• Major record labels are redefining their position in this evolving landscape, with artist contracts and catalogues remaining their most valuable assets.
• MSS have shifted from offering unlimited access to music to curating that access. Playlists now serve as a primary tool for retaining users.
• MSS offer more than economic value; they provide lower-cost access and a more convenient user experience.
• The shifting balance of power, along with growing information asymmetries and uneven royalty payouts, has led to fairness issues, especially for artists and songwriters.
• UGC platforms provide an even more convenient access to music for users; but raises stronger issues in terms of value gap.

Valdy Wiratama, Heritiana Ranaivoson, Adelaida Afilipoaie, and Anders Henten authored the report.

Read the full report here.

Photo by RDNE Stock project (Pexels).