UK record industry saw 5.1% growth in 2016
The UK record industry saw a 5.1% growth in revenues in 2016, according to new stats released by trade body the BPI today. In line with the various stats packs put out in recent weeks by record industry trade groups in various other countries, the key trend was that a boom in subscription streaming drove a return to growth, while the key message is that the growth isn't enough because of fucking YouTube.

We got our first helping of UK music market stats for 2016 at the start of the year when the BPI put out its figures about music consumption, and the Entertainment Retailers Association revealed the retail value of music in the UK, which includes both high street and mail-order retail, and the download and streaming platforms. However, the new figures represent the trade income of British record companies last year, and therefore also include sync, broadcast and public performance royalties (the latter two collected by colleting society PPL).

Overall recorded music income for the record companies (ie this excludes any live, merch, brand or publishing income labels see from so called 360 degree deals with artists) was up 5.1% to £926 million. That's the highest total for the UK record industry in five years, which fits with the narrative that the recorded music market, after over a decade of decline, bottomed out a few years back and is now slowly cranking back into growth.

Although sync, vinyl and PPL income was all up year-on-year in 2016, it was streaming that really enabled that growth, by which we mean paid-for streaming. Streaming revenues at large were up 61% last year, but 87.1% of the streaming monies came from premium services. Ad income from free audio streams was just 3.6% of streaming revenue, while video platforms - which mainly means YouTube - generated 9.3% of that income.

Digital combined now significantly out-performs physical, but it is worth noting that the UK CD market still holds up better than many would have expected, while vinyl - of course - continues to grow. Overall physical formats accounted for 32.2% of UK recorded music revenues last year, whereas streams were 29.6% of the market. Though - because of the way song right licensing works - physical income usually includes the publishers' share, whereas digital does not, which slightly skews those figures.

But enough stats, let's lay into YouTube. You may remember that the boss of the Recording Industry Association Of America, Cary Sherman, on launching his organisation's 2016 figures, only momentarily bigged up the growth before going on at length about the negative impact of safe harbour dwelling services like the Google-owned video site. The labels, of course, insist that YouTube et al are hindering the industry's revival for reasons we explain in this CMU Trends article here. Record company chiefs want copyright law rewritten to reduce the safe harbour protection enjoyed by sites of the YouTube kind.

His UK counterpart, BPI CEO Geoff Taylor, likewise calls on government to ensure that the record industry can capitalise on the potential of the streaming boom by "making clear in UK law that huge online platforms must pay fair royalties for the music they use". By "huge online platforms", he really means YouTube. Though beyond safe harbours, British labels also need to ensure that Theresa Mayhem doesn't further screw things up when the Brexit bomb is finally properly dropped. The requirements of the creative industries must therefore be on the Brexit agenda, adds the BPI.

Says Taylor on the 2016 stats and his sector's future: "It's encouraging to see revenues rise significantly, as more and more consumers enjoy the benefits of subscribing to a premium streaming service or rediscover the joys of vinyl. Britain's world-leading music sector has the potential for sustained growth in the years ahead, but this exciting future can only be realised if government makes creative businesses a priority post-Brexit".

He goes on: "What does this mean? It means making sure that UK artists can tour freely in EU markets and that UK businesses can access the best talent. It means taking firm action against illegal websites that deny artists a living, and it means making clear in UK law that huge online platforms must pay fair royalties for the music they use. And it means working with industry to boost exports by promoting strong IP protection in trade negotiations with other countries".

Taylor concludes: "UK record labels will continue to take huge risks backing emerging British talent and investing hundreds of millions of pounds annually to bring it to a global audience. With strong support from government, British music can continue to be a global success".

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Louis Tomlinson will probably not face charges over LAX incident at all
Well, that was a quick turnaround. No sooner had we reported that Louis Tomlinson might have to wait until 2018 to find out if he would be charged in relation to a recent altercation at LAX, prosecutors decided, fuck it, let the boy go. Well, probably anyway.

As previously reported, the One Direction singer was involved in a tussle with a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport last month. He then broke off from that to run to the aid of his girlfriend Eleanor Calder, who had become involved in an altercation with two 1D fans. Security broke it all up, an arrest was made, and Tomlinson found himself out on $20,000 bail.

After a hearing at the end of last month was delayed, a spokesperson for the LA City Attorney's Office said earlier this week that the case was "still under review". They also noted that the prosecutor had a whole year to decide whether to bring charges or not. But now, it turns out, they probably won't.

In a new statement, a spokesperson for the attorney's office said: "Each of the parties will be interviewed regarding the incident and advised of the law and ways to avoid similar incidences in the future. Typically there is no further action taken by our office after the hearing. We do reserve the right to file charges up to one year from the date of the original incident should additional information or future actions require additional measures".

So, it looks like Louis got away with it. Whatever it was.

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US indies reveal the pain of DMCA takedowns
A survey of US indie labels has revealed the challenges for smaller rights owners posed by the takedown element of the pesky safe harbour.

The copyright safe harbour, of course, says that internet companies can't be held liable if their customers use their services to infringe copyright, providing said net firms offer copyright owners with a takedown system via which they can request infringing files be removed. In the US, the safe harbour and the accompanying takedown requirements come from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Critics of the safe harbour argue that that system puts too much onus on the copyright owner to monitor the servers of big tech companies for the unlicensed distribution of their content. Especially when US copyright law doesn't set the bar for the effectiveness of the safe harbour dwellers' takedown systems particularly high.

Of the indie labels surveyed by the Future Of Music Coalition, 30% said that they didn't actively search for infringements of their recordings online, with a lack of resource a commonly cited reason. Some also said that they had stopped monitoring the net for the illegal distribution of their content after previous attempts at having their music removed via DMCA takedown systems had proven ineffective.

Of the respondents, 65% said that when they did issue takedowns, it often took more than 24 hours for their content to actually be removed. Meanwhile 68% said that a big issue was that their music often quickly reappeared on platforms after an initial takedown request had been actioned.

The study was also backed by the American Association Of Independent Music, and has been submitted to the ongoing US Copyright Office review of the safe harbour. The music industry wants safe harbour protection taken away from certain kinds of services, and the obligations around takedown increased across the board.

A2IM boss Richard James Burgess said of the survey: "Thanks to the Future Of Music Coalition for compiling this revealing survey and to our label members for completing it. Sadly, the survey confirms that independent labels are significantly harmed by the unauthorised online use of their music and the unnecessarily tortuous notice and takedown process".

FMC's Dick Huey added: "Independent labels play a crucial role in the careers of artists of every genre; many are run by musicians themselves. As policymakers weigh changes to copyright law, the unique needs of the independent sector and all the diverse music communities they serve must be a central consideration".

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Fionn Regan signs to Blue Raincoat Songs
Having announced the signing of Cabbage to a new publishing deal earlier this week, Blue Raincoat Songs has now hoovered up singer-songwriter Fionn Regan too. The deal comes just in time for the release of Regan's new album 'The Meetings Of The Waters' this Friday.

"I have been an admirer from afar of Fionn's work ever since he first released 'The End Of History' in 2007", says Blue Raincoat CEO Jeremy Lascelles. "But this new record simply blew me away when I first heard it. Such beautiful songwriting - elegant, melodic, poetic and topped off with that sublime voice of his. I am so pleased for us to be part of his team for this album and for some considerable time in the future".

'The End Of History' was released in 2006, but I'm not sure it's that important a detail. The story is, everyone's dead chuffed. Here's the video for the new album's title track, which stars that Cillian Murphy.

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DHP Family to formally relaunch The Garage next week
Live firm DHP Family will formally relaunch London venue The Garage in Islington next week, having first announced its plans for the space last December.

DHP acquired both The Garage and central London venue the Borderline from MAMA & Company following its acquisition by Live Nation. Both venues have been since been refitted, with Borderline re-opening last month.

The all-new Garage houses two live music spaces as well as a café that will be serving coffees, beers and cocktails during the day, in a similar fashion to DHP's other London venue, Oslo in Hackney.

One of the two gig rooms will be called Thousand Island, and is described by DHP as "an intimate space hosting breaking acts and late-night socials featuring an unpretentious programme anchored by collaborative club nights". So now you know.

The invite only launch party takes place next Wednesday.

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Quite Great PR launches live services unit
Music PR firm Quite Great earlier this week announced the launch of a new division that will offer touring services for artists.

Headed up by Tom Green, previously booker at London venue 229, the new venture seeks to book UK or European tours for its clients, and to organise all the logistics around those tours such as advancing, accommodation and travel.

The PR side of the company can also do publicity on that live activity, while the new division will also offer another service organising launch parties, something that might be of interest to Quite Great's PR clients.

Says Green: "Navigating the live music industry can be a daunting and challenging task at the best of times. It's a pleasure to be able to bring my knowledge as a promoter and agent to Quite Great to grow the roster and expand on what the company already does. I look forward to working with the team here to grow something quite special".

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Morrissey cancels twice rescheduled show due to ill health
Morrissey cut short a show this week, and cancelled another - which had already been twice rescheduled - because of ill-health. The first gig, in Tuscon, Arizona on Monday night, ended after Morrissey had struggled through six songs despite having lost his voice.

Raising his vocal issues with the Tuscon audience during the performance, Morrissey reportedly said: "It seems I have left half my mouth in Guadalajara. But I will stand here and I will sing, and, if necessary, I will drop dead".

It didn't come to that in the end, Moz choosing to cut the show short rather than die of a nasty cold in front of a paying audience.

A bandmate then came out to tell the audience: "His voice is shot. You heard it. He's been trying, trying really hard. He came out, he tried. His voice is really shot. We're sorry. He's sorry. You know he tried".

The next show on the tour, in San Antonio, Texas last night, was cancelled shortly ahead of time. The Tobin Center venue where the show was to take place said in a statement: "Following health concerns stemming from Morrissey's appearance in Tucson, it is with great sadness that tonight's sold out engagement in San Antonio at the Tobin Center is cancelled to allow him to fully recuperate".

There has been no confirmation as yet whether tomorrow night's show at the White Oak Music Hall in Houston or Saturday's at the Majestic Theater in Dallas will go ahead.

All three Texas shows were already rescheduled from December last year - with the singer then blaming his management. The shows had before that been rescheduled from the previous month, with the Dallas show originally at the McFarlin Memorial Auditorium, after keyboard player Gustavo Manzur collapsed backstage in Boulder, Colorado.

Meanwhile the Fox Tuscon Theatre said in a statement yesterday that it is still working on "a viable solution for the unfortunate early termination of the Morrissey concert". The venue said earlier this week that it hopes to reschedule the show soon, and has not yet begun offering refunds. All tickets for the fully cancelled San Antonio show will be refunded automatically.

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Chemical Brothers release virtual reality video
The Chemical Brothers have brought into the world a new virtual reality video for their 2015 St Vincent collaboration, 'Under Neon Lights'.

"'Under Neon Lights' is a psychological and physical coming-of-age story, framed around a girl whose world builds in neon colour as she runs through the different environmental stages of her life", explains VR developer Within. "In the final act, she floats freely, which speaks to the theme of the song  -  letting go".

The Chem Bros add: "We've always been intrigued by different visual interpretations of our music, so we were excited to see what the Within team would come up with in VR".

Check it all out here. There's also a 2D version, if you happen to be a total loser.

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Major Lazer, Feist, Frankie Cosmos, more

Other notable announcements and developments today...

• Frankie Cosmos has signed a new record deal with Sub Pop. She'll be touring the UK this summer to celebrate (and also because she'd already been booked to do so).

• Major Lazer have gone and done a new track with PartyNextDoor and Nicki Minaj. It's called 'Run'. It has a video.

• Feist has released the video for new single 'Pleasure'.

• Sleep Party People's 'The Missing Steps' now has a video.

• Sweet Baboo has released the video for new single 'Wild Imagination', which also happens to be the title track of his new album, out on 2 Jun. He's touring in June too.

• No Beef Of The Week this week because of Good Friday, but please accept this delight in its place.

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Kendrick Lamar artwork designer responds to criticism
The designer of the artwork for Kendrick Lamar's new album, 'Damn', has responded to criticism of his work. That criticism came as some, perhaps not fully trained in graphic design, put forth the opinion that the work was super fucking shoddy.

"Already seeing a lot of discussion about the cover", tweeted Vlad Sepetov. "I'm really excited about it. It's interesting to see people talk about 'bad' design. I'm incredibly proud of this cover. I sort of bucked a lot of what my teachers taught me. I wanted to make something loud and abrasive".

"Maybe some won't see that", he continued. "But I'm glad that [Lamar's manager] Dave [Free] and [Kendrick] saw the value in making something that didn't fit the mould. Just given the bare bones we fleshed something out that has a lot of people talking. It's not uber political like [the 'To Pimp A Butterfly' artwork] but it has energy [in my opinion].

He is right, it has got people talking. And it does have a certain energy to it. And it is abrasive, in that it's quite annoying to look at. I'm starting to like it.

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