Exploration Weekly - Shira Perlmutter Appointed Register of Copyrights / CISAC Revamps ISWC System / Spotify, Chernin Entertainment Ink Film/TV Deal

“We first make our habits, then our habits make us.”

John Dryden

Shira Perlmutter has been appointed as the 14th Register of Copyrights this week by Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. She will step into the position in late October and will assume leadership of the organization during its 150th year. Maria Strong, who has served as acting Register since January 2020, will return to her role as Associate Register of Copyrights for Policy and International Affairs.

Music trade organization CISAC officially launched its new system for the ISWC data standard that it manages this week, allowing for more efficient and faster issuing of ISWCs as well as lesser risk of data conflicts occurring as new works are published. Over 100 collecting societies have reportedly migrated over to the new system. The International Standard Musical Work Code (ISWC) is the global industry-wide data standard used to identify musical works and compositions.

Spotify and Chernin Entertainment have struck a multiyear first-look film and TV deal that will allow them to mine more than 250 global original audio shows and podcast programming for Hollywood development. Peter Chernin told The Hollywood Reporter that the two companies will hire an executive to spearhead development and work closely with Chernin Entertainment president Jenno Topping and her team.

Exploration would also like to thank all of you for submitting your survey responses for the Music Industry Report - 2020 - Survey! Your contributions are much appreciated in illuminating the state of the music business, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Almost everyone listens to music via on-demand streaming. But what is it exactly? Our next video revolves around this topic in the weekly “Music Industry - 5 Mins or Less” video series! Learn more here:

In this newsletter:

Librarian of Congress Appoints Shira Perlmutter Register of Copyrights
CISAC Formally Launches Revamped ISWC System
Spotify Partners with Chernin Entertainment to Turn Podcasts Into Film and TV Projects
Italy’s Recorded Music Industry Grew 2.1% in H1 2020, with Streaming Up 26.4%
Spotify UK to Launch Music and News Podcasts in Personalized Playlist
France’s Recorded Music Market Generated Revenues of $305 Million in H1 2020

Now, the details...
Compiled by Heidi Seo

Exploration Weekly - September 25, 2020

Librarian of Congress Appoints Shira Perlmutter Register of Copyrights

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced her selection of Shira Perlmutter as the 14th Register of Copyrights this week. She will step into the role in late October and will assume leadership of the organization during its 150th year. Maria Strong, who has served as acting Register since January 2020, will return to her role as Associate Register of Copyrights for Policy and International Affairs. Perlmutter served as Chief Policy Officer and Director for International Affairs at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) since 2012, working in all areas of intellectual property, including copyright. She was a liaison for the USPTO to other agencies including the US Copyright Office, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), and the US Department of State.

CISAC Formally Launches Revamped ISWC System

CISAC, the global grouping of song right collecting societies, formally announced this week its launch of a new system for the ISWC data standard that it manages. The system should now speed up the issuing of ISWCs and reduce the risk of data conflicts occurring as new works are published. The International Standard Musical Work Code (ISWC) is the global industry-wide data standard and identifier for musical works or compositions. Such data standards have become more important in the digital age where the music industry is processing billions and billions of lines of usage data every month. Ensuring the right people get paid when music is played means ensuring that every song has a single ISWC and that it is logged with all of the music industry’s databases. CISAC added that over 100 collecting societies have already migrated over to the new system, and that said system will soon be rolled out to music publishers and digital music platforms. Watch Exploration's video on the ISWC here.

Spotify Partners with Chernin Entertainment to Turn Podcasts Into Film and TV Projects

Spotify and Chernin Entertainment are partnering up to adapt Spotify’s broad library of podcast programming for film and television. The two companies have struck a multiyear first-look film and TV deal that will allow them to mine more than 250 global original audio shows for Hollywood development. Together, the companies will hire an executive to spearhead development and work closely with Chernin Entertainment president Jenno Topping and her team, says Peter Chernin in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He also added that Spotify and Chernin Entertainment will each provide financial support to the endeavor and will share in the ownership of the film and TV projects that result.

Italy’s Recorded Music Industry Grew 2.1% in H1 2020, with Streaming Up 26.4%

Italy, which was the worldwide record industry’s 12th biggest market last year, according to IFPI stats, showed that in the first six months of 2020, the country’s recorded music industry generated wholesale revenues of €87.97 million, up 2.1% on the same period of 2019. The data was handed to Music Business Worldwide from FIMI, whose members include Universal Music, Sony Music, Warner Music, and BMG. The propulsion behind the growth was streaming. FIMI’s stats show that subscription audio streaming revenues jumped up 33.6% in H1 2020 to €48.25 million. Ad-supported audio streaming revenues also rose materially, up 19.3% in Italy in the first half of the year. Overall, music streaming (including ad-supported and subscription audio, plus digital video ads) generated €68.84 million in Italy in H1 2020, up 26.4% YoY, and making up 82% of the total market in the six-month period.

Spotify UK to Launch Music and News Podcasts in Personalized Playlist

Spotify UK is launching its first playlist featuring music and news all in one location. Your Daily Drive, which released in the US in 2019, provides curated playlists that combine updates from reputable news sources. “This new playlist gives listeners the current affairs updates we know they’d like more of alongside the music they want, blended seamlessly into their day,” said Tom Connaughton, Spotify UK’s Managing Director. The company also revealed statistics around listening habits during the coronavirus pandemic, leading to results showing that 76% sought out new ways to incorporate more music and podcasts into their day, such as listening more often at home and during daily activities like cooking, studying, and exercising. Earlier this month, it was also reported that Spotify is developing a new karaoke feature for the platform.

France’s Recorded Music Market Generated Revenues of $305 Million in H1 2020s

According to a half-year industry update published by French trade body SNEP last Wednesday (September 16), total recorded music industry revenues generated in France in H1 2020 increased by 0.4% to €279 million ($304.6 million) from €278 million ($303.5 million) in H1 2019. Streaming, which generated revenues of €223 million ($243.5 million) in H1 2020, was up 17.7% year-on-year. Streaming represented 80% of total revenue for the six-month period, compared to 68.3% in H1 2019. Physical revenues, on the other hand, fell by 36.8% from €88 million ($96 million) in H1 2019 to €56 million ($61 million) in the first six months of this year.

Random Ramblings

How the electronic dance community is leading the industry into live streaming.
Defining the ’90s music canon.
Andrew Jannakos debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard’s Emerging Artists Chart with his breakout single "Gone Too Soon”.
Taylor Swift's "1989" becomes the fourth album by a woman to spend 300 weeks on the Billboard 200 Chart.
Alicia Keys drops a new video of her latest single, "Love Looks Better”.

Who is Exploration?

Exploration is proud to be the company of choice to administer much of the world’s most important media. Utilizing competent staff and advanced technology, our clients are able to better control their data and collect their money.

We’re writing a free book on how the music business works. Learn more here.

The catalog metadata template offers the minimum viable data needed to collect publishing royalties. Download the .csv file here.

To see who is collecting your royalties, request a free copyright audit here!

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Hope you have a great weekend!