Music business welcome Labour to authorities with “a powerful mandate for change”

The music business has reacted to information of Labour’s victory within the UK common election, after the occasion swept lots of of seats throughout the nation and ended 14 years of Conservative rule.

Sir Keir Starmer is ready to be appointed Prime Minister later right now (July 5) and promised “nationwide renewal” in a victory speech. Now, the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) has stated it seems ahead to working with “a brand new inflow of MPs” following right now’s landslide win.

The FAC is the commerce union physique representing the wants of musicians and artists within the UK, and its CEO, David Martin, has stated it’s essential to “decide up on unfinished enterprise from the earlier Parliament, and shortly ship the much-anticipated reforms to music streaming alongside larger assist for the dwell music ecosystem”.

In a bid to assist dwell music earlier this yr, MPs really useful a ticket levy on arenas and stadiums to avoid wasting grassroots venues and artists. It adopted a damning report by the Music Venue Belief that warned: “We’re shedding the following technology of British expertise as a result of we will’t be bothered to get it proper”.

🗳️Featured Artists Coalition CEO David Martin’s assertion on the newly elected authorities. pic.twitter.com/Y0ExbI3c9Z

— The FAC (@FeaturedArtists) July 5, 2024

UK Music Chief Tom Kiehl additionally congratulated Sir Keir Starmer on his election victory and urged him to make use of his “resounding mandate for change” to spice up jobs, progress and alternative within the sector.

Kiehl, who known as Starmer a “music loving PM“, stated: “The incoming Labour Authorities has been elected on a platform to implement a plan for the inventive sector as a part of its industrial technique. The potential of the UK music business to contribute to progress should be on the coronary heart of this plan.‌

“The music business is going through a variety of challenges, but in addition alternatives. A powerful relationship between UK Music and the brand new Authorities might be important to navigating what the remainder of this decade brings.”

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night time Time Industries Affiliation (NTIA) echoed that sentiment, and stated in an announcement: “The true work begins now. Our business faces critical challenges and wishes pressing consideration to get better from years of neglect by way of the price of dwelling disaster and the pandemic.”

With 2023 described because the “worst yr for venue closures“, and a slew of UK festivals being cancelled or postponed this yr, Kill highlighted that the music business must “rebuild belief with the brand new authorities, after years of feeling misunderstood and undervalued”.

He continued: “The brand new authorities has a substantial alternative forward, with the present majority, there is a chance for significant and transactional change. We’d like the brand new authorities to prioritise significant coverage adjustments, strategic and focused monetary assist, and collaborative efforts to form the way forward for nightlife. This may guarantee a sustainable and thriving future for night time time industries.”

On the FAC AGM again in December, artists like Blur drummer Dave Rowntree, (who stood for election this yr), the band FKA Straightforward Life (now Laborious Life), Get Cape. Put on Cape. Fly. and extra informed NME how struggles round cost, race, training and ever-closing venues had impacted their hopes for the panorama this yr.

FAC Artist In Residence Rowntree stated on the time: “We’re seeing the fragmentation of tradition, an absolute tsunami of latest music, the rising energy of content material platforms, and the stifling algorithms of social media. That is an extremely tough second for brand spanking new artists to even get observed, not to mention try to make a dwelling.”

In April, the Tradition, Media and Sport Committee of MPs known as for streaming reform with an “optimum price” for songwriters after a report discovered “royalties have been depressed by digital distribution within the UK, which pays out much less to creators (if in any respect) in comparison with different modes of distribution”.

This comes after Sir Elton John pledged his assist for the Labour Celebration this week, telling followers:

“Solely a modified Labour occasion will get Britain’s future again,” he defined on the time. “And make no mistake, the Labour Celebration has modified.”

He continued: “It’s heartbreaking to see the hopes of Britain’s subsequent technology of inventive expertise downtrodden and destroyed by paperwork and pink tape,” the legendary singer-songwriter started.

“The wealthy cultural alternate and training that knowledgeable my early years and paved the best way for my profession and success is drying up and at risk of dying out fully. And it’s not simply the musicians, however the entire staff that places collectively a tour and the broader business that depends on rising expertise to thrive sooner or later.”