CMU is hosting the core strands of the TGE Conference, and this year we have been putting the spotlight on music and education, music and deals, and music and the creator economy.

We then dissected and discussed the growing number of tools, platforms and marketplaces being used by creators of music to write, record and iterate music, to facilitate collaborations, and to generate new income from their creative expertise.

This afternoon, we'll review the digital tools and platforms that help frontline artists - and other creators in and beyond music - to grow their fanbases and monetise the fan relationship. Plus, what can the music community learn from online creators on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, and what can the online creators learn from the music industry?

Among those joining the discussions will be Alex Lee Thomson from Green House Group, Corbyn Asbury from YouTube, George James from Be-Hookd Digital, Stephanie Adamu from Empire, Lucy von Hagen from Playliveartist, and Rhia Patel from Songkick.

All of this happens in Conference 1 at the Leonardo Royal Waterfront hotel.

And don't forget, there is also a packed programme of panels, workshops, parties and networking events presented by TGE's industry partners. Check out the official TGE app for more information on all of those.

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The day kicks off at 10am with a focus on artist revenues - ie how music-makers make money from their music-making. We'll look at how artists generate income from their songs and recordings, from their shows and performances, and from their fan relationship.

Then we'll put the focus on how artists go about building an audience. The music business is really the fan business - early-career artists need to find and engage a fanbase. But what does that involve? How can DIY artists find an audience? And what role do gigging, social media, streaming and collaborations play in the fanbase building process?

Next up is 'Getting Booked, Playing Live'. Live is a key revenue stream for many artists - although in the DIY Phase, gigging is also a key way to grow the fanbase. How does the live side of the industry work? How can artists put on their own shows, find opportunities to play guest and support slots, and then get booked for gigs, tours and festivals?

Then we put the spotlight on recordings. What is involved in releasing new music in 2023? How can DIY Phase artists maximise impact on a tight budget? And what role do streaming service playlists, social media platforms and traditional music media play in getting music played?

And finally, as an artist's career progresses they will start working with business partners across the music industry. But what role does each business partner play? We consider what labels, publishers, agents and managers actually do - and how they impact on the success of an artist's career. Plus what does negotiating a deal with each business partner involve?

This is all happening in Conference 1 at the Leonardo Royal Waterfront hotel.

The Elevate Sessions are made possible by Arts Council England, and are open to all TGE delegates, plus free tickets are made available to music students and those at the start of their music careers. There is still a small allocation of free tickets available - so if you or anyone you know would like to attend, sign up here.

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UK government rejects recommendations for further regulation of secondary ticketing
The British government has rejected recommendations that tighter regulation of the secondary ticketing market be introduced, a move that was suggested by the UK's Competition And Markets Authority almost two years ago.

The Department For Business And Trade has confirmed it is in no mood to step up the regulation of ticket touts and the resale platforms they use, reckoning that it is important for a competitive market to exist and that - following the COVID-19 pandemic - "it is too soon to conclude that the only way forward is further legislation".

Campaigners for more regulation of secondary ticketing have reacted angrily to this news, saying that the government has "given bad actors a free pass" and that "the experiences of consumers appear to have been overlooked entirely".

It was in August 2021 that the CMA made its recommendations to the government, it being responsible for ensuring the secondary ticketing sites comply with existing regulations. Among other things, it called for new legislation to clamp down on the bulk-buying of tickets by touts and the practice of speculatively selling tickets, where sellers list tickets for sale on secondary platforms that they do not actually possess.

In response to the recommendations this week, Department For Business And Trade's Parliamentary Under Secretary Of State Kevin Hollingdrake MP wrote that "the government believes in the power of competitive markets to give consumers choice and flexibility" and that "this applies to both the primary and secondary markets in event tickets".

"It is right", he said, "that consumers have the ability to sell on tickets they no longer want or are able to use, and that there is a market in such sale and resale".

"Technology is improving the consumer experience in both security and flexibility of ticketing but as with all online purchases, consumers must be careful in making purchasing decisions and ensure they understand what they are buying. While many operate in the secondary ticketing market successfully, some consumers are left feeling misled or ripped off and this is not acceptable".

However, he went on: "It is currently difficult to make a detailed assessment of the impact of trading standards and CMA enforcement work, given the massive disruption to the event industry in the last two years, caused by the coronavirus pandemic".

"Events across the UK are only now beginning to proceed on a predictable basis and that has significantly impacted the volume of tickets coming to either the primary or secondary ticket markets. The nature of tickets and the options for replacing them should you no longer be able to use them has been changing and the primary market is still developing new approaches. As part of that we would expect to see greater use of technology but the impacts of this on the consumer need to be understood".

He also stated that the outcome of the CMA forcing Viagogo to sell off StubHub - the rival it acquired in 2019 - "remains to be seen", and that this situation should be monitored in order to track its effect on the market.

Turning to some of the CMA's recommendations specifically, Hollingdrake said that the government was wary of "creating a dedicated enforcer to be funded by a levy on the secondary ticket market" to oversee adherence to existing legislation, as the costs of this would likely be passed on to consumers.

In addition, he said that the government would not put a cap on the number of tickets allowed to be sold by one individual on secondary platforms as "it appears the uncapped market may still provide a service of value to some consumers".

"I feel it is too soon to conclude that the only way forward is further legislation focused on this market", he wrote. "As you are aware, there are a number of improvements to other aspects of consumer law which we have now published in our response to the 2021 consultation. These will be our priority in the immediate future, rather than changes to the secondary ticketing regime specifically".

Campaigners say that this response ignores the negative experience of consumers and gives commercial ticket resellers a "free pass" to continue engaging in practices that are not in the best interests of music fans.

Campaign manager of the FanFair Alliance, Adam Webb, said: "In August 2021, the Competition And Markets Authority published a series of common sense recommendations to the government that aimed to further protect consumers from being ripped off by unscrupulous ticket touts and parasitical ticket resale sites".

"These included new measures to clamp down on the unlawful bulk-buying of tickets and large-scale speculative fraud, where rogue traders list tickets for sale that they do not possess. Research by FanFair Alliance has shown these problems remain rampant on certain secondary ticketing platforms".

"Nineteen months down the line, and, despite overwhelming evidence of continuing bad practice, the government has today comprehensively rejected the CMA's advice - without, we believe, consulting with experts, campaigners or the live music industry", he added.

"The experiences of consumers appear to have been overlooked entirely. Although much progress has been made in recent years to tame the UK's black market for tickets, FanFair Alliance shares the views of the CMA that further action is still required to tackle these evident and ongoing problems with online secondary ticketing".

Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group On Ticket Abuse Sharon Hodgson MP commented: "In August 2021, the CMA made it clear to the government that a handful of additional safeguards could help reduce the scale of unlawful online ticket touting, and better protect consumers. Nineteen months on, and all their recommendations have been rejected. We are still struggling to understand why, and on what basis".

"Rather than improving the capacity of enforcement agencies to clamp down on malpractice, the government has effectively given bad actors a free pass to continue acquiring tickets in bulk to popular events and to engage in speculative and fraudulent selling", she went on.

"These individuals can make extraordinary profits at the expense of ordinary fans who are left ripped off and out of pocket. The UK is rightly proud of its live event industry, but an uncontrolled black market risks harming the consumer experience and wreaking untold damage on the sector overall".

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LABELS & PUBLISHERS

Universal Music shareholders have agreed a new pay package for boss man Lucian Grainge, which will see his basic wage reduced by more than two thirds to $5 million. He will, however, be eligible for an annual performance bonus of $10 million, and is set to receive new stock options. So, you know, he's not going to starve. This new arrangement was originally revealed when the major renewed Grainge's contract back in March, but has now been approved. They also elected Haim Saban as a Non-Executive Director.

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MEDIA

The European Broadcasting Union has rejected a request by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to speak during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final tomorrow night. It said that granting the request would breach the event's rules for remaining non-political.

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RELEASES

Janelle Monáe has announced that she will release new album 'The Age Of Pleasure' on 9 Jun. Out now is new single 'Lipstick Lover'. "As we enter into the age of pleasure, 'Lipstick Lover' is our freeassmothafucka anthem inspired by FAM for FAM", she says. "This is our oasis made with love, rooted in self-acceptance, throbbing in self-discovery, and signed with cherry red kisses from me to you".

Queens Of The Stone Age will release new album 'In Times New Roman' on 16 Jun. Out now is first single 'Emotion Sickness'.

Jorja Smith has released new single 'Little Things'. "The song is pretty self explanatory, I had a lil concoction - rum, ting and a magnum", she says. "When we started creating this song I was just imagining hearing this walking into a party and seeing someone I'd had my eye on. It's fun!"

Obongjayar has released new single 'Just Cool'. Speaking about the track he says: "Everyone is on edge! How could we not be? Where's our united humanity? Where is our united love for our brothers and sisters and children looking for safety and opportunity? Where is the love for our planet? We're constantly being lied to, used and squeezed of whatever energy is left in us. We're in a pit fighting amongst ourselves while the bloodsuckers incite division and cheer from high above while poking at us continuously. Be cool and let cool".

Chilly Gonzales has released new single 'French Kiss'. He says of the track: "'French Kiss' is the first song I wrote in French all by myself. I am writing and composing for the first time in this hard to tame language, and so, in this track, I wanted to express myself with 'my' French tongue. That is to say: by giving my vision of the culture, the literature and the music of the Hexagon. It's my love letter to France, without gratuitous clichés". He has also announced a show at EartH in London on 16 Sep.

Mandy, Indiana have released new single 'Drag [Crashed]', taken from their debut album 'I've Seen A Way', which is out next week. Frontwoman Valentine Caulfield explains: "'Drag [Crashed]' is a collection of things that were said to me or about me because I'm a woman. [It] is a personal exploration of what it means growing up a girl".

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GIGS & TOURS

Liam Gallagher has said that he plans to mark the 30th anniversary of Oasis's debut album 'Definitely Maybe' next year by performing it in full at "a few BIBLICAL venues". Not sure if that means he's setting up a stage in a cave in Jerusalem.

Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily - updated every Friday.

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