Between updating their subscription plans and experimenting with more visual profiles (still in early beta), SoundCloud has been on fire lately. ComScore even recently reported that their traffic increased by 26% in one month, making SoundCloud the 8th fastest growing site in the U.S. Though it’s certainly evolved since its launch in Berlin in …
You might know The Orchard as a global music and film distribution company but do you know much about the people behind the name? We have over 175 employees worldwide all hailing from different backgrounds, boasting different lines of expertise, and coming from all walks of life. We thought it’d be fun …
Videos are by far the most engaging form of social content. This isn’t exactly a new discovery, but there’s a lot of missed potential by bands that claim to have a YouTube presence. The common misconception is that your music videos go up on YouTube and you’re done. Although MTV …
Between Amanda Palmer and Veronica Mars, crowdfunding has proven its worth beyond the shadow of a doubt. In one year alone, global crowdfunding initiatives grew 81% to generate a reported $2.7 BILLION. Of that, music-related projects represented a very respectable $202.5 million, i.e. 7.5% of all raised funds and 4th most …
We work with some kickass people. Laura Tesoriero, The Orchard’s Regional Manager for Latin America, just got elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Latin Recording Academy, a.k.a. the organization that puts up the Latin Grammy Awards each year. Laura is the first female Chair the Board has had, and she certainly has the expertise and passion to accomplish great things in her new position.
Beyond overseeing The Orchard’s Latin American operations, Laura also serves as CEO of EPSA Music, a label focused on preserving the Argentine Tango and Folk music Laura grew up with. In addition, she brings her experience in A&R, marketing, manufacturing and publishing to the table, not to mention her long-time involvement with the Latin Recording Academy as a founding member of the organization.
Fellow newly elected members include Founder/CEO of Brazil-based MCB (Music Consent Branding) Marcelo Castello Branco, Latin Grammy winner and Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Johnny Ventura, and Founder and current President/CEO of Somos TV Luis Villanueva. The outgoing Chair of the Board, Luis Cobos, was named Chair Emeritus. In addition to organizing the Latin Grammy Awards, the Latin Recording Academy also supports the Latin music community as a whole, putting up educational and outreach programs and attempting to improve the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and its makers. We look forward to seeing Laura spearhead some exciting new initiatives!
Introducing Maggie Leyden, Client Relations Manager, Film & TV
I’m very excited to be joining the Client Services team for Video Distribution here at The Orchard! I grew up in Yonkers, NY and previously, I was at Sesame Workshop for about 6.5 years doing International Media Distribution — mostly TV & DVD. Before going global, I also worked on the U.S. side doing client relations for all local PBS stations. While nothing will quite compare to the surreal experience of running into the Muppets in the workplace… I’m ready to get started on something new and learn more about what you all do as well!
Other things about me… I’m a big TV binge-watcher (currently House of Cards & still not fully recovered from Breaking Bad) and loyal Bruce Springsteen fan. I love to get any and all TV, movie and music recommendations and something tells me this place is full of them so I’m looking forward to meeting you all!
This morning, we woke up to the news that the Godfather of House Music, Frankie Knuckles, passed away last night. Knuckles is largely credited with nurturing and promoting the Chicago house sound throughout the 80′s and beyond… Wait, let’s stop there. House music. Why do they even call it that?
Well one story goes like this. When he left New York for Chicago in the late 70′s, Frankie had a residency at a club called The Warehouse. He played at The Warehouse until 1982. During his tenure, his style and selection as a DJ in the post-disco era was unrivaled and groundbreaking. When The Warehouse closed in ’83, he began playing at another spot, the Power Plant, and the crowds who came to The Warehouse followed suit. Meanwhile, enterprising club owners across the Windy City were looking to fill their own dance floors and one such owner put up a sign in front his establishment: WE PLAY HOUSE MUSIC. Frankie was driving with a friend when he saw this sign. House Music? “You know, that’s the kind of music you play down at the Warehouse!”
When your style as a DJ lends itself to the naming of a genre, you’re a legend. When your productions influence an entire generation of producers, you’re a pioneer. And when you manage to do both during your time on this earth, you’re Frankie Knuckles. House music lost its Godfather last night, but he leaves us with countless tracks to celebrate his life.
As music continues to shape and color my daily life, what I’m most impressed with is the music industry’s ability to take on the changes and challenges that come its way head on. It makes me proud to work in music, and seeing the innovation and determination that have spawned from the incessant industry developments (and the knowledge at the same time that new developments and twists inevitably lie ahead) inspires me in ways beyond just my professional life.
In that vein, it’s important to look back and review the events of the past year, so there’s always a great buzz in the air when the IFPI Digital Music Report makes its appearance towards the end of Q1 each year. This year’s report is, as always, chock-full of great information, including stats and figures paired with special reports to contextualize the numbers. After combing through it with my orange highlighter, here are the key takeaways of the state of digital music in 2013.
GIVE ME THE NUMBERS
Overall recorded music revenues grew in Europe and Latin America, stabilized in the United States and experienced a sharp 16.7% decline in Japan, bringing global revenues down 3.9% to an estimated US$15 billion.
Not including Japan, global music revenues were only down 0.1%.
Digital revenues worldwide grew by 4.3% in 2013 to US$5.9 billion.
Digital now accounts for 39% of total industry global revenues.
Revenues from music subscription services grew by 51.3%, exceeding US$1 billion:
Digital downloads experienced a slight decline of 2.1%:
Performance rights income more than doubled in 2013, reaching US$1.1 billion globally, an estimated 19% rise. Our Collections services can help you tap into some of that. If you’re interested in signing up, reach out to your client rep!
Synchronization income declined by 3.4%, now accounting for 2.1% of total industry revenue. Our dedicated Sync Licensing team is constantly on the lookout for great opportunities, and we’d love to include more of your music in our pitches to supervisors. Interested? Let your client rep know.
While still on the decline, physical music sales continue to keep a majority share in many major markets, accounting for 51.4% of all global revenues (down from 56.1% in 2012).
Vinyl sales, though still niche, have increased substantially in the US (up 32% in 2013) and in the UK (up 101%!). Record Store Day‘s around the corner, people!
While the industry did experience some decline, it’s encouraging to see digital revenues growing overall, with streaming continuing to establish itself as a viable source of income. The report dives deeper into the impressive growth of the Scandinavian markets, all a few years ahead of the rest of the world in terms of streaming. It’s worth a read, particularly the special report on Sweden, a country which grew from US$144.8 million to US$194.2 million in just three years, with an increased share of digital going from 8% to a whopping 70%, of which subscription services account for 94%. Whew!
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Well, Freeloaders, looks like spring’s not quite as ready to make her grand entrance as I’d hoped for last week. Did I jinx us? It certainly feels like it here in our NY office. But it is Friday, and you can find some solace in that.
I know some of you are pretty bummed (maybe outraged is more fitting?) about these first days of spring not living up to expectation. If that’s the case, perhaps a good dose of Pyrrhon’s Deathcore-frenzied Metal album will help ease the pain. If you’re looking for something with a more soothing guitar-Pop vibe, try out Fan Modine’s album stream. It’s a completely different end of the music-genre spectrum, but the Chamber-Pop Rock should be just as good a remedy.
But the goods don’t stop there! You might want to get your power-duty speakers out for these next few: Mark E’s latest Dance-happy trance track or The Crookes’ charming, Smiths-like Rock ‘n’ Roller of a ballad. There’s also I Divide‘s anthemic Punk-Pop, and Wovenhand’s countrified, growling Alt-Rock track — a riotous call to arms that sounds like it comes straight from a scene out of True Detective.
Now to send you off properly, we’ve got a handful of pretty enticing music videos. First up, Fanfarlo’s stop-motion fueled premiere, composed of sci-fi and psychedelic-kitsch paper cut-outs. Next, catch Sweet Apple’s video to watch friendships that span from coast to coast by way of paper airplanes. But the biggest shout-out to warm weather’s approach comes from Weekend. Their Grunge-Goth works surprisingly perfectly against the blue-skied and sunny-hazed beach backdrops.
So have a toast tonight to Friday, and the coming of spring — it’s not too much longer, folks!
Pyrrhon: Full album stream via Pitchfork Advance
The Mother of Virtues out April 1 on Relapse Records
Fan Modine: Full album stream via PopMatters
Cause Célèbre out April 1 on Lost Colony Music
Mark E: “Being Hiding” track premiere via Boiler Room
Product of Industry out April 29 on Ghostly International
The Crookes: “Marcy” track premiere via NoiseTrade
Soapbox out April 14 on Fierce Panda
I Divide: “I’m Not Leaving” track premiere via Kerrang
Last One Standing out April 14 on Dstry Everything
Wovenhand: “Hiss” track premiere via Stereogum
Refractory Obdurate out April 29 on Deathwish Inc.
Fanfarlo: “Cell Song” video premiere via VEVO
Let’s Go Extinct out now on Blue Horizon
Sweet Apple: “Wish You Could Stay (A Little Longer)” video premiere via Esquire
The Golden Age of Glitter out April 8 on Tee Pee Records
Weekend: “It’s Alright” video premiere via The Fader
Jinx out now on Slumberland Records
