British recorded music exports rose to a record high of £775m in 2023, according to BPI analysis. The figure represents year-on-year growth of 7.6%.
It’s the highest level of annual exports since the BPI began its yearly survey of overseas label income in 2000 (£364m) and more than triple the amount recorded a decade ago in 2013 (£243m).
However, the increase of 7.6% is less than half of the growth reported in 2022 (20%). This, says the BPI, reflects intensifying global competition from fast-growing music markets in other parts of the world and demonstrates the need for close collaboration between industry and government to ensure that U.K. artists remain highly visible.
The BPI estimates that U.K. artists now cumulatively account for less than 10% of global audio streams. Their collective share of global music consumption was estimated to be 17% as recently as 2015.
“It is encouraging to see British recorded music continuing to perform strongly on the world stage, but we can and must do even better in the face of fierce global competition as rival markets grow at pace," BPI Chief Executive Jo Twist, said. "If we are to maintain our proud record as a music superpower, U.K. music needs government backing and a supportive policy environment which encourages investment in talent-led growth, and keeps human artistry at the heart of the creative process.”
The Top 100 ranking for the most streamed acts globally last year, according to data by Luminate, includes British acts Adele (pictured), Arctic Monkeys, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Lewis Capaldi, as well as icons such as Queen, The Beatles and Elton John.
BPI stats say that the U.K. saw growth in every global region in 2023, led by double-digit increases of 17.3% in Latin America and 11.1% in Africa. North America and Europe remained the biggest regions for U.K. recorded music exports, accounting for almost 80% of the global total.
In the U.S., revenue improved by 8.3% year-on-year due in part to Top 10 hits by Lipa and PinkPantheress and Top 10 albums from Sheeran, Gorillaz and Sam Smith.
Jeff Jones will step down from his role as Chief Exec of The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd. after 17 years. Jones, who most recently oversaw the 2023 release of the final Beatles song, “Now and Then,” has spearheaded countless significant initiatives since joining the company in 2007.
They include launching TheBeatles.com and making the British band’s music available digitally for the first time with iTunes. Jones introduced them to a new generation with their own Rock Band game, oversaw Apple Corps’ 18-year partnership with Cirque du Soleil for The Beatles LOVE show and has helped conceive multiple Grammy-winning catalog reissues.
In addition, Jones served as executive producer on the critically acclaimed documentary film The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years, and the three-part Emmy-winning Disney+ series, The Beatles: Get Back. He's an EP on the upcoming Beatles ’64 doc, produced by Martin Scorsese, directed by David Tedesch and due XX.
“The whole Apple Corps family wishes Jeff Jones all the very best and would like to express our sincere gratitude for his invaluable contributions to the company and the legacy of The Beatles," the company said in a statement.
Prior to joinin Apple Corps, Jones worked at Sony/BMG, MCA Records and Columbia. A successor has yet to be announced.
The estate of John Lennon has appointed U.K.-based PRO PPL to collect neighboring rights royalties on all sound recordings where Lennon or Yoko Ono are listed as a performer.
PPL will collect broadcast and public performance royalties in markets where such rights exist for the estate’s interests in Lennon, Ono and The Beatles.
The deal covers Lennon’s 11 solo albums, 23 singles and, as a performer, writer or co-writer, 25 #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. In total, he’s accumulated 23m record sales as a solo artist and three Billboard #1 albums. Ono’s 14 studio albums, eight collaborative LPs and 40 singles, are also included.
“Our team works hard to ensure no stone is left unturned in the collection of neighbouring rights royalties around the world," said PPL CEO Peter Leathem. "It is a privilege to advocate for and collect public performance and broadcast rights globally for such a revered catalog of recorded music.”
A list of the top 10 most played Lennon recordings of the 21st century, compiled by PPL, reveals that “Woman” takes the top spot, receiving 1m more seconds of airplay than “Imagine.”
The track, released in 1980, makes up 24% of Lennon’s total airplay this century, the equivalent of broadcasting the song for six months non-stop. “Imagine" totals 23%, comparable to five and a half months of continuous play.
U.K. music charity Music Support, which aids music industry personnel struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues, experienced a 51% increase in calls to its helpline across the last year.
Results from the survey, which was deployed across the org's Safe Hubs at festivals this summer, were released in conjunction with World Mental Health Day on 10/10.
26% of respondents said they have experienced drug and/or alcohol problems in the last 12 months (up from 19% in 2023), 49% reported experiencing mental health problems (up from 40%) and 21% have had suicidal thoughts (up from 18%).
Music Support CEO Joe Hastings said, “Whilst the increase in demand for our services is a concern, we are also encouraged that stigmas around mental health and problematic substance use are breaking down and people are more willing to reach out for help.”
The charity has directly impacted at least 1,000 people from the U.K. music industry in the last year through its core services. In order to support its ongoing work, which is entirely dependent on external funding, Music Support has launched an awareness campaign at London’s Curzon Soho cinema via the promotional film titled Without You, There is No Music, which was made by BBC Creative.
The former MD of Spotify U.K. and Ireland, Tom Connaughton, has joined growing independent distributor Canvas Music as Partner and Senior Adviser.
The company has also signed a long-term JV with its U.S. partner, Symphonic Distribution.
Connaughton exited Spotify at the end of 2023 after nearly six years at the streaming platform. Beforehand, he was SVP of Creative Content & Programming for Vevo.
Canvas Music Founder and Chief Executive Richard Lyne, pictured (left) with Connaughton, described his new hire as “a world-class executive who will bring a level of knowledge and experience to the company that we could only have dreamt of when we launched.”
He continued, “In a crowded market, it’s time to do distribution differently. The aim for us is to provide a great service with a great product but with more focus and less volume. Tom is exactly the sort of person we need to help us grow and achieve those goals.”
The U.K.-based Music Managers Forum has appointed Niamh Byrne, co-founder of Eleven Management, and Jill Hollywood, founder and MD of Echo Beach Management, as its new Chair and Vice Chair, respectively.
Byrne (pictured) and Hollywood succeed Paul Craig and Kwame Kwaten, who stood down last month after completing two three-year terms.
“Niamh and Jill are two of the U.K.’s most respected music managers. In addition to building enormously successful businesses, both have contributed greatly to the MMF Board over recent years. As our new Chair and Vice Chair, I’m really looking forward to working more closely with them as a source of support, expertise and inspiration building on the legacy of Paul and Kwame," said Music Managers Forum Chief Executive Annabella Coldrick.
In 2011, Byrne co-founded Eleven Management with Régine Moylett, achieving commercial and creative successes with Damon Albarn, Gorillaz, Blur and Graham Coxon. They’ve subsequently invited new artists, and managers, to join the team, adding The WAEVE, Riz Ahmed, Bashy, Bastille, Naomi Scott and Meyy to their roster.
Hollywood is one of the U.K.’s leading producer/writer-focused managers. After more than a decade at Big Life Management, she founded Echo Beach Management in 2016. Her current roster includes Ash Howes, Cameron Blackwood and Jacknife Lee, among many others.
A new London-based label, Heatwave Records, has arrived, helmed by former Syco Music MD Tyler Brown and Harold Serero, who until recently held a senior A&R role at Ultra Music Publishing and Payday Records.
Focused on signing artists from emerging markets, the label describes itself as “borderless” and aims to connect the dots for music worldwide, nurture a global audience for its artists and produce global hits.
Heatwave Records has enjoyed early success with Nigerian artist Fido’s track “Awolowo” going to #1 at Spotify viral, Apple Nigeria, Shazam Nigeria and Spotify Nigeria.
The label has also announced the signings of Ivory Coast artist døpelym, whose track “Guala” went #40 on Shazam in France and Top 10 on the viral chart, and Firstklaz from Nigeria, whose “Gen-Z Area” went Top 20 on the viral chart there.
Andrew Birchall has been hired in an A&R role, and there are plans to build a creative presence in several key territories around the world before the end of the year.
Discussing the inspiration for the label, Serero, who oversaw Payday’s African music division, said, “Countries like Nigeria, South Africa and India have some of the most vibrant and ambitious music communities in the world. At any given moment, there are hundreds if not thousands of artists competing for a place at the top. The songs, the melodies, the engagement of the music community, it’s unmatched. The artists we are talking to each day are so ambitious and are pushing the boundaries of creativity in new ways. Heatwave is a celebration of the simple fact that any artist from any country can rise to the top."
Breakthrough British singer-songwriter Myles Smith has found a new home at Sony Music Publishing, which has inked him to a global deal.
The Luton native and RCA signee has amassed more than 26m monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 1.3m TikTok followers, thanks to the success of songs such as "Stargazing" and "Solo." The former scored Smith his first U.K. Top 20 single earlier this year.
"I’m grateful for their belief in my music and looking forward to sharing more of my story with the world," Smith said of the SMP partnership. Added SMP U.K. Senior Director of A&R Saul Fitton, "Myles is a once-in-a-generation talent, with exceptional drive and dedication."
The artist is touring North America through early November. He'll return next year for another run beginning 3/31 in Vancouver.
Pictured collectively ignoring HITS' emails are SMP’s David Ventura, Eric Parker (manager, Extended Play Group), SMP’s Megan Fitzsimons, Smith, Paul Jeboda (management) and Fitton.
