Last but not least, our third and final selection of music business executives offer up their wish list for the next 12 months. We’ve already heard from dozens of industry leaders in part 1 and part 2 – along with their best and worst of 2018 (part 1 is here, part 2 is here and part 3 is here).
Read on for the 2019 music industry hopes of Jane Third, Martin Bandier, Harriet Moss, Mark Mitchell, Ted Cockle and more…
“I hope we find a reciprocal and healthy relationship with Google. I hope the influence of tech companies and VC money, and some of the more land-grabby style acquisition practices (which have their place, and competition is good) don’t cannibalise the culture of long-term artist development.”
Jane Third, chief creative officer, PIAS
I hope we find a reciprocal and healthy relationship with Google
Jane Third
“The continued growth of music streaming and a fairer share of revenue for the songwriter community.”
Martin Bandier, chairman & CEO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing
"That the industry as a whole has realised the benefits of working with the music makers and creators as everyone wins in a dynamic, vibrant, financially viable, positive ecosystem."
Paul Craig, CEO, Nostromo Management/chair, MMF
"In the festival and outdoor market we are consistently repeating headliners every year. We have to look at how we can develop new artists into these positions or we run the risk of exhausting the talent pool."
Steve Homer, co-CEO, AEG Presents
"That all stakeholders in our community continue to put aside their differences, and work together to deliver commercial transparency for all."
Ric Salmon and Sumit Bothra, directors, ATC Management
“I’m going to be selfish here as it reminds me of my childhood. I believe and hope that ‘90s-influenced music will be played all over the planet next year!”
David Ventura, head of A&R, UK, Sony/ATV Music Publishing
“That every area of the industry acknowledges the long-term benefit of promoting new British talent, doubles down on who they believe in now and shows patience to create real and lasting careers.”
Mark Mitchell, co-president, Parlophone
“More inclusion, more growth, more success for us all.”
Riki Bleau, co-president, Since 93
“I’m sure this will be a reoccurring theme here but we as an industry need to work closer together to break more British acts.”
Dipesh Parmar, MD, Ministry Of Sound Recordings
“British artists making their mark globally next year - big acts scaling new heights (The 1975, Bring Me The Horizon) and new acts breaking through. And, tired as the subject is, that Brexit doesn’t impede ability of artists to tour and promote with ease or cause us to lose cultural currency with our closest neighbours.”
Mark Collen, EVP, International Operations, Sony Music UK
"Great music, great artists. Same as every other year."
Adam Webb, campaign manager, FanFair Alliance
“That music continues to break down borders and travel globally, in defiance of small minded nationalism. Today a great new artist can come from anywhere and can break anywhere and isn’t that a beautiful thing!”
Paul Hitchman, president, AWAL
“Scott Walker to perform his new album open air with orchestra at the Minack Theatre, Porthcurno.”
Ed Horrox, head of A&R, 4AD
“More breakthrough artists to the mainstream and that, as an industry, we can continue to provide artists with more diverse ways to express their art; for consumers ease, quality and speed of enjoyment across existing, new and emerging platforms.”
Dan Chalmers, president, Rhino, ADA & East West Records
“Firstly, I hope that Instagram will start to scroll electronically rather than me needing to scroll down all the time. Secondly, hoping that bands don’t have to split up and go away for 10 or 20 years to be able to sell out stadiums.”
Ted Cockle, president, Virgin EMI
Hoping that bands don’t have to split up and go away for 10 or 20 years to be able to sell out stadiums
Ted Cockle
“That we can break more genuine future headline propositions.”
Louis Bloom, president, Island Records UK
“Recognition in government of the importance of investing in music and creativity in education. Otherwise the machines will win.”
Richard Hinkley, co-managing director, UMC
“Another year of growth and labels continuing to invest in the recording and writing process.”
Isabel Garvey, MD, Abbey Road Studios
“Other than Dr Dre dropping an album? More UK breakthroughs, more of those BBC documentaries on dance and grime culture, more tell-all books like The Secret DJ and more episodes of Netflix’s Hip-Hop Evolution.”
Simon Barnabas, managing director, Universal Music On Demand
“I hope that our business continues to evolve and prosper. We’re on a roll and it’s an inspiring time to be in this industry – with more ways to innovate than ever before. Outside of traditional sync avenues, we have content creators and other opportunities to license music emerging daily. It’s critical that we’re creative and agile to make the most of these, and continue delivering the best for our clients.”
Tristan Wilson, head of sync & brand partnerships UK, Downtown Music Publishing
“For music and its makers/supporters to continue to pave the way and lead the charge in all that’s just, inclusive and brilliant in society at large. For music and art to support and enhance the human condition, by uniting and inspiring us socially and politically where governments presently do not. To provide the cultural antidote - and promote a positive, clear way forward for individuals of all backgrounds and ideologies.”
Toby L, co-founder, Transgressive Records
“My biggest hope for 2019 is the entire publishing community coming together with one voice, pushing for equal payments from streaming services between the publishing and master right.”
Roberto Neri, MD, Downtown Music Publishing UK
“That we continue making progress ala Article 13 and the MMA.”
Kim Frankiewicz EVP Worldwide Creative, Concord Music
“As always, better inclusion and kindness, and more women on stage.”
Harriet Moss, managing director, Manners McDade
As always, better inclusion and kindness, and more women on stage
Harriet Moss
“No Hard Brexit.”
Drew Hill, MD, Proper Music Group
“As we speed into a streaming-led environment, art and technology continues to become more closely intertwined. Our main job becomes vying for fans’ time and attention. My biggest hope is that instead of overly prioritising vanity metrics, we’ll focus on creating meaningful, lifelong connections between our artists and fans.”
Dorothy Hui, VP Digital, 4th Floor Creative, Sony Music
“That we continue to deliver a strong share of voice for British music around the world. I’d like to see the industry get smarter with voice activated search, be involved in the decentralisation conversation and take chances on ideas coming from tech teams building companies around blockchain.”
Victoria Needs, director of UK international marketing, Sony Music UK
“I hope to see gender equality in action rather than something we just talk about. More needs to be done to close the gender pay gap and give women access to the same opportunities as their male counterparts whether they’re an artist or behind the scenes.”
Negla Abdela, head of digital marketing, Ministry Of Sound Recordings
“That the industry continues to recognise that there is a symbiotic relationship that exists between the different parts of the music industry. If we work together, we can accomplish great things in 2019 - whether that is in getting better support from government or in standing up to exploitative, predatory big tech that wants to play divide and rule.”
Michael Dugher, CEO, UK Music
“That in the thrill of the rush to streaming people don’t forget about the physical market and the opportunities that lie in the high street. Not only does Record Store Day continue to go from strength to strength but as a direct result of the growth in vinyl we have been able to bring back Record Tokens to cater for a new generation of buyers. We have seen more and more independent retailers open up in the past 12 months and I hope that continues into 2019.”
Megan Page, co-oordinator, Record Store Day UK & National Album Day, Entertainment Retailers Association
“Stop the race to the bottom. Curate and nurture. We’re in a healthy place right now, so I guess my hope is that people can take a few minutes, hours or days to step back and take it in. We’re bloody lucky to be doing what we do. Let’s never forget it.”
Jon Tolley, co-owner, Banquet Records
“That the whole industry, recorded, live, performers, managers, agents, labels, media, whoever and whatever they do, really recognises what an incredible gift it is to have our network of grassroots music venues and gets behind proper investment and support for them as a shared and collective responsibility. Fine words butter no parsnips.”
Mark Davyd, CEO, Music Venue Trust
“We need to take a long hard look at many of the institutionalised attitudes in the music industry. For example, songs continue to be regarded as merely 'top line melody and lyrics'. This limited definition is inadequate in the 21st century where recorded music vastly exceeds those bounds. And of course, the role of the record producer needs much greater recognition!”
Mick Glossop, record producer and executive director, Music Producers Guild
“I really want R&B to have a big moment next year. There are so many talented artists who have consistently been releasing incredible music and are due to drop albums next year (Khalid, Mahalia, Bryson Tiller, H.E.R). I would love for them to have their moment to shine in the charts next year.”
Nemat Abdela, marketing manager, Columbia Records
“The continued growth of the Irish music market with more local artists breaking through, both at home and globally.”
Annette Donnelly, MD, Sony Music Ireland
“A broader group of people engaging in paid streaming.”
Tim Fraser-Harding, president, global catalogue, Warner Music Group
You can read more insights from the execs in our huge review of the year issue, available now. To subscribe and never miss a big music biz story, click here.
