RIAA’s 2015 year-end Music Sales & Shipments Report shows total retail income from recorded music in the U.S. increasing 0.9 percent to $7.02 billion ($4.95 billion wholesale).
Streaming—led by paid subscription models, which grew 40 percent in paid subscribers—clocked in at $2.4 billion, slightly outperforming physical and download sales to become the largest revenue-generator for the U.S. recording industry.
Streaming, permanent downloads and physical sales are “the most balanced revenue mix in recent history, with just about 1/3 of revenues coming from each of the major platform,” cites Joshua Friedlander, RIAA’s Sr. VP of Strategic Data Analysis.
Thus, permanently downloaded albums declined 7 percent from the previous year (5 percent decline in dollar value), while single-track downloads declined 15 percent (13 percent decline in dollar value).
The report continues, noting SoundExchange distributions grew 4 percent to $803 million, and on-demand ad-supported streaming grew 31 percent year-over-year to $385 million. Sync royalties grew 7 percent to $203 million.
Total value of shipments in physical formats was $2.0 billion, down 10 percent versus the prior year. Vinyl LPs were up 32 percent by value, and at $416 million were at their
highest level since 1988. Synchronization royalties were $203 million, up 7 percent versus the prior year.
RIAA Chairman & CEO Cary Sherman offered his take:
The music industry is now a digital business, deriving more than 70% of its revenues from a wide array of digital platforms and formats. The share of revenues from those digital formats surpasses that of any other creative industry.
Another headline? In 2015, digital music subscription services reached new all-time highs, generating more than $1 billion in revenues for the first time, and averaging nearly 11 million paid subscriptions for the year. Heading into 2016, the number of subscriptions swelled even higher — more than 13 million by the end of December — holding great promise for this year.
While today’s data is encouraging, the challenges facing us are significant. The consumption of music is skyrocketing, but revenues for creators have not kept pace. In 2015, fans listened to hundreds of billions of audio and video music streams through on-demand ad-supported digital services like YouTube, but revenues from such services have been meager — far less than other kinds of music services.
Need further proof that some fundamental market distortions are at play? Last year, 17 million vinyl albums, a legacy format enjoying a bit of a resurgence, generated more revenues than billions and billions of on-demand free streams: $416 million compared to $385 million for on-demand free streams.
I’m confident that music’s future is bright. The popularity of music is greater than ever. Like never before, it drives our culture and commerce. It is the throbbing heartbeat of social media and it is a must-have ingredient of any major technology platform. But reforms are necessary to level the playing field and ensure that the entire music community derives the full and fair value of our work.
CMA Music Festival Saturday Night Stadium Lineup Announced
/by Jessica NicholsonFlorida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell, and Chris Young will take the stage Saturday, June 11.
The music festival features several free stages spread throughout Lower Broadway, as well as nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium. Tickets to the nightly shows sold out before any of the performers were announced.
CMA is revealing the lineup for each night of the Nissan Stadium shows on a weekly basis. Previously announced stadium performers during CMA Music Festival include Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Sam Hunt, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, and Hank Williams, Jr. who will perform during the festival’s first two nights.
RIAA Releases 2015 Year-End Report, Streaming Grows
/by Eric T. ParkerRIAA’s 2015 year-end Music Sales & Shipments Report shows total retail income from recorded music in the U.S. increasing 0.9 percent to $7.02 billion ($4.95 billion wholesale).
Streaming—led by paid subscription models, which grew 40 percent in paid subscribers—clocked in at $2.4 billion, slightly outperforming physical and download sales to become the largest revenue-generator for the U.S. recording industry.
Streaming, permanent downloads and physical sales are “the most balanced revenue mix in recent history, with just about 1/3 of revenues coming from each of the major platform,” cites Joshua Friedlander, RIAA’s Sr. VP of Strategic Data Analysis.
Thus, permanently downloaded albums declined 7 percent from the previous year (5 percent decline in dollar value), while single-track downloads declined 15 percent (13 percent decline in dollar value).
The report continues, noting SoundExchange distributions grew 4 percent to $803 million, and on-demand ad-supported streaming grew 31 percent year-over-year to $385 million. Sync royalties grew 7 percent to $203 million.
Total value of shipments in physical formats was $2.0 billion, down 10 percent versus the prior year. Vinyl LPs were up 32 percent by value, and at $416 million were at their
highest level since 1988. Synchronization royalties were $203 million, up 7 percent versus the prior year.
RIAA Chairman & CEO Cary Sherman offered his take:
ACM Award Winners Revealed In New Artist Categories
/by Eric T. ParkerThe newcomer categories for the 51st annual awards were previously fan voted and have now been incorporated into the professional membership voting process.
These awards mark the first-ever ACM Award wins for Ballerini, Stapleton and Old Dominion. Additionally, Ballerini is also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, Stapleton leads the ACM nominations with six additional nods, including Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year, and Old Dominion received a nomination for Vocal Group of the Year.
Co-hosted by Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley, the ACM Awards will broadcast live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Sunday, April 3 at 8:00 p.m. live ET/delayed PT on CBS.
Artist Updates: Kelsea Ballerini, LOCASH, Dolly Parton
/by Jessica NicholsonKelsea Ballerini Added To CMA Music Festival
She joins previously announced artists for the Thursday night lineup that already includes performances from Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Rascal Flatts.
LOCASH’s Chris Lucas Welcomes Second Child
Photo: Chris Lucas
LOCASH’s Chris Lucas and his wife, Kaitlyn, welcomed a baby girl at the Williamson Medical Center in Franklin, Tennessee, on Monday, March 21, according to US Weekly.
Remi McKenna Lucas arrived at 9:21 p.m., weighing in at 6 lbs, 10 oz, and 19 inches long. Remi joins older brother Caden, 5.
Dolly Parton Reveals Songs For Upcoming Katy Perry ACM Awards Duet
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton recently revealed to Rolling Stone that the upcoming Parton/Katy Perry duet at the 51st ACM Awards will include the Parton classics “Coat Of Many Colors” and “Jolene.”
“We were going to do ‘Coat of Many Colors’ together as a duet and then she got the big idea, why don’t we sing ‘Jolene’ together because she loves that song and since it’s going to be one of the movies,” explains Parton. “I go, yeah, why not? So I’m going to try to combine the ‘Coat of Many Colors’ and ‘Jolene’ to make it like a really even more special moment to perform with her.”
Parton is gearing up for a busy 2016, with the release of the CD Pure & Simple, and an upcoming United States tour.
The ACM Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas April 3 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Three Promoted At Round Hill Music Nashville
/by Jessica NicholsonThree members of Round Hill Music’s A&R team in Nashville have been promoted, including Mark Brown, Josh Saxe, and Bob Squance.
Mark Brown
Brown, formerly Vice President, has been promoted to Sr. Vice President, with an expanding role in asset acquisition, management and exploitation of newly acquired catalogs, and general management of Round Hill Nashville operations.
Josh Saxe
Saxe, formerly Associate Director, has been promoted to Director, where he will continue to represent Round Hill Music’s active writer roster and catalog acquisitions.
Bob Squance
Squance, formerly Senior Coordinator, has been promoted to Manager of A&R Administration, adding reporting, catalog management, and publicity responsibilities to his current position.
“I want to congratulate Bob and Josh on their promotions,” says Mark Brown. “Bob has become an integral part of our team and will continue to see his role expand within our company. Josh has demonstrated a high level of skill in pitching songs and managing our writers, which has strengthened our creative output. I’m proud of their progress.”
MusicRowLife: Jacoby Knott and David Plyler Wed
/by Jessica NicholsonKP Entertainment’s Digital Marketing Manager Jacoby Knott and ROAR’s David Plyler tied the knot in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica on March 4, 2016.
Knott oversees all digital responsibilities including social media, account programs and new online endeavors for the KPE roster that includes Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell, Kelleigh Bannen, CB30, Jon Langston, and Chancie Neal.
For Plyter, ROAR manages the careers of artists Zac Brown Band, Dwight Yoakam, Clare Bowen, Ben Rector, and Gaelic Storm.
Pictured (L-R): David Plyler, Jacoby Knott.
Industry Ink: Chicks With Hits, All Eyes Media, Deluge Music
/by Jessica NicholsonChicks With Hits Welcomes Jo Walker-Meador
Jo Walker-Meador (seated) and the Chicks with Hits
The Chicks with Hits organization invited retired CMA Executive Director Jo Walker-Meador to their “Legends Lunch” which is a monthly get-together with industry legends. Walker-Meador spoke about how she got started in the industry and shared some great stories about being the first woman to head the CMA.
The Chicks with Hits gather monthly and invite a legend to lunch. Past Legend Lunches included Harold Shedd, Brenda Lee, Bobby Braddock and Fred Foster.
Founded in 1998, the Chicks with Hits is a consortium of women that own or run independent publishing companies. Next month’s special guest will be Jeannie Seely.
Michelle Lorge Joins All Eyes Media
Michelle Lorge
Michelle Lorge, formerly Manager of Publicity at Sweet Talk PR, has joined Jim Flammia‘s All Eyes Media. Lorge joined Sweet Talk Publicity in 2014. Her career also includes time at Kaleidoscope Media, Hot Schatz PR, and Forever Publicity.
Deluge Music Signs Kevin Savigar
Kevin Savigar signs with Deluge Music.
Deluge Music has added writer/producer Kevin Savigar to its roster. Savigar’s musical success includes “Nothin’ To Lose,” a No. 1 song for Josh Gracin, as well as more than 45 songs recorded by Rod Stewart.
Deluge President Mark Friedman commented, “I’ve worked with Kevin for over 12 years and I’m so happy to have him on our team, he’s a true gentlemen and a great talent!”
Friedman, along with David Robkin and Larry Mazer, formed boutique publishing company Deluge Music in 2015. Deluge has offices in Nashville and Los Angeles.
NASH Nights Live’s Elaina D. Smith To Get Media Honor
/by Jessica NicholsonElaina D Smith
NASH Nights Live‘s Elaina D. Smith will be honored by Alliance For Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) with a Gracie Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements by women across all sectors of media. Smith broadcasts her nationally syndicated Country show, NASH Nights Live, from Cumulus Media’s NASH Campus in Nashville.
Additional Cumulus staffers to be honored this year include Rita Cosby, host of WABC Radio New York’s The Rita Cosby Show, who earned two Gracies this year for Talk Show, News-Local Radio, and for Host, Non-News/Non-Fiction-Local Radio; and Joan Hamburg, host of WABC Radio New York’s The Joan Hamburg Show, who earned a Gracie for Soft News Feature-Local Radio. Shila Nathan, Middays Host for NASH FM 94.7 New York, earned a Gracie for her work as Afternoon Drive Personality-Local at CBS Radio-Chicago’s WUSN US99.5.
The 41st annual Gracie Awards, which support AWMF’s educational programs, charitable activities, public service and scholarship campaigns that benefit women in media, will be presented on Tuesday, May 24, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Smith will accept her award along with fellow national honorees including: Tina Fey, Angela Bassett, Cynthia Nixon, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vera Farmiga and Kathie Lee Gifford.
Cosby, Hamburg and Nathan will accept their respective Gracie Awards on June 21 at Cipriani in New York City, at the Gracies Awards Luncheon honoring local market, public and student award winners.
In Photos: ASCAP @ SXSW
/by Jessica NicholsonASCAP presented music from several of its top songwriter members during SXSW in Austin, Texas. On Friday, March 18 at Driskill Hotel, the ASCAP Presents annual acoustic showcase featured Angelica Garcia, Matt Woods, James TW, The Score, Bayonne, Matt Gresham, Angelica Garcia, Matt Woods, James TW, The Score and others.
ASCAP also presented a SXSW rock showcase on Wednesday, March 16 that included performances from Run River North, SWIMM, The Heirs, The Kickback and Great Caesar.
The music continued at SXSW when ASCAP joined with Billboard, LANDR and SOCAN to present boat cruises on Lady Bird Lake for SXSW attendees.
On Monday, March 14, ASCAP Los Angeles’s Jeff Jernigan spoke on the panel “Film Music and TV Music: Who Gets Paid, Why and How,” and on Friday, March 18 ASCAP Nashville’s Mike Sistad spoke on the panel “Why Publishing is Key for Songwriters & Performers.” Later that day, ASCAP members and Americana songwriter-artists Robbie Fulks and Rosie Flores were featured on the Bloodshot Records showcase at Yard Dog Art.
All photos by ASCAP’s Erik Philbrook and Jonathan Bahr
Matt Gresham at ASCAP Presents at The Driskill
Rosie Flores at Yard Dog Art
Robbie Fulks at Yard Dog Art
Billboard’s Joe Maimone and ASCAP’s Ralph Murphy at ASCAP Boat Cruises
Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon with ASCAP’s Erik Philbrook
Pictured (L-R): ASCAP’s Maura Duval, Angelica Garcia, ASCAP’s Mike Sistad at ASCAP Presents at The Driskill
ASCAP’s Mike Sistad (second from left) on SXSW panel
James TW and ASCAP’s Jason Silberman at The Driskill
SOURCE To Celebrate 25 Years At 2016 SOURCE Awards In August
/by Eric T. ParkerThe yet-to-be-announced 2016 honorees are women who have played a vital role in the success of Music Row and Nashville’s entertainment industry.
Again held at Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum at the Historic Municipal Auditorium (417 4th Avenue North).
Founded in 1991, SOURCE is a nonprofit organization supporting women executives and professionals who work in all facets of the Nashville music industry. In 2003, the annual SOURCE Awards were established to pay respect to and honor the women who helped develop and build upon the foundation of the music industry in Nashville. SOURCE also pays tribute to women who presently make major contributions with their work in the industry.
Sponsorships and program ads are available with Shauna Collins at 615-974-7023.