✖ The value of piracy: future back thinking
And: data & music rights; equitable post-pandemic record industry?; Instagram incentives; ballroom dancing in locked down Italy; Spotify's six part strategy for India; Turkish musicians' desperation
In last week’s article I deadnamed Wendy Carlos. I have to hold my hands up and admit that I didn’t know about this. Deadnaming is hurtful because it’s usually done by people who reject who someone is. The lesson: use someone’s current name and pronouns when writing about that person in the past. Thankfully one of our readers provided a helpful styleguide for awareness and affirmation of trans subjects. We made the necessary changes to the article.
We don't talk a lot about piracy in the music industry anymore I feel, but it still exists. In 2018, more than a third of music consumers still pirated music. In 2020, INCOPRO, on behalf of the UK's PRS for Music, showed that piracy in the form of stream-ripping grew by almost 1400% between 2016 and 2019. The question is how to analyse this activity, how to analyse the pirates, and how to determine the effect and impact of piracy on the current state of the music industry. To answer this question I also make a comparison with the video industry.
TECH
☎️ If the above article has got your ears up about music rights, go read the new Synchtank report about data and music in our digital age. It’s a wake-up call that looks into how rightsholders need to futureproof their business and which challenges they face while they work on that.
🤑 Patreon raised money to a valuation of $4 billion. This means the company tripled in value over the past six months. Has it really? Similarly, Clubhouse is looking to raise funding to a similar valuation of $4 billion. Will they be able to hire some Android developers? Interestingly, there are rumors that Twitter was looking to acquire Clubhouse at a valuation of, you guessed it, $4 billion.
🥅 Instagram seems to be expanding their creator funding possibilities with something called ‘incentives’ which are related to as yet to be specified milestones.
🈶 Owning things matters, NFTs are ‘things’ you can own. While there are major issues [see last Tuesday’s link, but also this deconstruction of the Beeple artwork]. That doesn’t mean there are still opportunities, particularly around the automation of tasks related to fraud, scalping, etc.
🇮🇳 Spotify has a six-part strategy for cracking the Indian market. It’s worthwhile to read it. Two parts I want to highlight: 1) region by region since India is a huge market comprised of different regions, cultures, and musical styles; 2) focus on the independents since there’s so much more than just Bollywood and that includes a wealth of fandom.
CORONA
🌦️ David Turner hints at two ways that could develop into a more equitable post-pandemic record industry: 1) a focus on local talent; 2) workers organising themselves while the industry is still in a boom phase.
💃 During the first lockdown Italians gave us arias from balconies. During the latest lockdown AP reports on ballroom dancing couples faced with the necessary precautions.
🧪 Twice-weekly tests in the UK to help people get back to concerts?
🔕 Notes of positivity like the one above are still immediately coupled with their flipside in other parts of the world. In Ontario, Canada, for example, Covid-19 restrictions currently mean that even livestreaming from venues isn’t an option.
🇹🇷 Covid-19 has exacerbated issues already bubbling up in Turkey for musicians. Already faced with an economic downturn, the pandemic brought serious hardship.
Music
This is loud music. Autarkh is made up of former Dodecahedron band members and have included electronics to their arsenal. It’s loud metal that will pummel you relentlessly. I find it utterly captivating music that keeps me glued to my speakers.