Music Publishing News 6.19.15: Apple Music • Unified Licensing • Spotify’s Taste Rewind
Indie label reaction to Apple Music, unfied music licensing in Europe and Spotify's new Taste Rewind feature are all a part of this week's music publishing news roundup.
___________________________
Upon the launch of Apple Music, Indie labels are apprehensive due to reports stating that Apple will not be giving royalty payments to indie labels during their three month free trial. Though all three major labels have established a licensing deal for the new service, Apple is avoiding negotiation with Merlin (the leading global body representing indie labels) and alternatively planning to coordinate direct licensing agreements with particular labels individually. Apple Music’s free trial will surely boost sales for Apple devices but, without providing royalty payments to indie labels, will harm the total income to the music industry as whole this year.
Europe’s three largest PRO’s will create one uniform licensing and processing system for all of Europe. PRS, STIM and GEMA, are joining together in planning a service that will facilitate quickER and more simple digital service negotiations, more accurate royalty payments, scaled down processing costs, and transparent agreements for all rights holders. This “first of it’s kind” partnership between the societies will also aid in solving copyright issues, overall creating a more overall efficient way of managing European intellectual property.
Spotify has launched “Spotify Taste Rewind,” it’s newest venture to help subscribers create vintage playlists based on their current music diet. “Rewind” constructs playlists from three hand picked artists of your choosing to display playlists you may have been into throughout the last five decades, dating as far back as the 1960s. This new playlist generator isn’t without it’s bugs as Billboard claims the artists to choose from can be limited at times, and can automatically start suggesting top 40 artists regardless of your play history.
