Introducing the Music Economy Development Initiative — Center for Music Ecosystems

Africa makes up 18% of the world’s population, 3% of the world’s gross domestic product and half a percent of the world’s value of music copyright. Yet, African artists are achieving global recognition, with local genres such as Afrobeats or Amapiano becoming globally consumed genres. It is just as common to hear Asake in a taxi in Saudi Arabia as ... See more

Whilst economists can present a dismal picture of GDP and all of its variations, they often miss what matters most to people—cultural industries that inspire, educate, and inform their populations. Music is one of those things we do not need to live, but most would struggle to live without.

The creative industries, more often than not underpinned by copyright, are not easily measured (nor captured) by economists, but that doesn’t mean they don’t matter. Indeed, ample evidence shows they matter most, and one of the best case studies to explore is music.