"Unimaginable in any other sector" –Impala's Helen Smith on planned Downtown acquisition
And so what you've ended up with, not surprisingly, is a few key players that happen to own the majority of the IP that is kind of a must have in this industry to have a product offering and a handful of distributors that have gotten scale on distribution of great user experiences like a Spotify, Amazon, a YouTube, whoever you might want to think a... See more
Colossus • Universal Music Group: The Gatekeepers of Music
This occurs across a competitive backdrop in the industry that has seen increased M&A activity, be that major labels acquiring indie labels and distributors, or catalogue acquisition. Heritage rights retain a premium, and market share is being bought, arguably, at the cost of investment in new, innovative music. Independent labels talk of it be... See more
Dan Fowler • Combating the Emergence of a Two-Tier Music Streaming Market: Analysis and recommendations to support a future industry of innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth
Although late to the party, this year Universal, through Virgin Music Group, acquired Downtown Music Holdings for $775 million in cash in December 2024. Downtown Music Holdings includes a number of companies, most notably CD Baby, Fuga, AdRev, SongTrust, and Downtown. Through these companies, Universal now owns independent music recordings, distrib... See more