Since 2016, the UK Music Futures Group has been working tirelessly to shine a light on the experiences of young people in the music business.
Chair Amanda Maxwell, alongside members Meenal Odedra, Frank Hamilton, Preye Crooks and more, feature in the latest edition of Music Week.
Here, in a UK Music Futures Group online extra, members including Brett Cox, Holly Manners and Amanda Playle discuss the collective’s vision for the industry…
Holly Manners, A&R manager at Warner Records and Shesaid.so mentorship director
How would you describe the group’s aims and what do you think its successes have been?
“Futures is a lively, passionate forum for debate, it exists to challenge and better the decisions of the UK music main board. The UK Music board shouldn't operate in a vacuum, and should be provided with real-time opinions and experiences from those working in music day-to-day.
“I've been lucky enough to witness spirited debates around streaming, festival safety, and diversity and inclusion. In particular I'd like to highlight Frank's DIY Guide to Mentorship In Music, which is brilliant.”
What is a larger message to music industry you would like to share or encourage?
“I'd like to encourage a working culture which is as committed to listening as it is to doing - listening to artists, to employees, to experiences. Then doing.”
Brett Cox, producer, engineer, songwriter
How would you describe the group’s aims and what do you think its successes have been?
“I think we aim to be a diverse group of professionals representing the younger side of the music industry in order to provide a crucial inside viewpoint directly to the UK Music board. Our core success is creating a space where all areas of the music industry are represented in an open discussion of how we should react to current events and work together to make the industry a better place.”
What is a larger message to the music industry you would like to share or encourage?
“I want to see the industry focus more on being a community. It’s a funny place where art and business collide and I think it can feel a bit fragmented on the wider scale. I’d like to see more focus on how we can value, respect, champion and help each other with special attention to inclusive intersectionality and fixing the streaming model to make sure our art is valued correctly and the profits are distributed fairly.
“I also think we should be aiming for longevity. We are too close to treating music like short-term, disposable content, and if we don’t actively respect it more than that then no-one will.”
Amanda Playle, CEO & co-founder, Decade Management
"The Futures Group is uniquely able to draw on a broad range of experience in different facets of music, with the joint aim of helping to make the industry of the future a better, more sustainable and inclusive place to work for everyone, in every sector. I can't think of a more important target than that."
Part 1 of the UK Music Futures Group is available here
