DiMA June Digest Newsletter 2024
Left to Right: Steve Blatter, SVP & General Manager, Music Programming, SiriusXM-Pandora; Graham Davies, President & CEO, DIMA
1. Spotlight: DIMA Summer Members Meeting
Earlier this month, DIMA held its first Summer Members Meeting, bringing together the biggest voices in music streaming to collaborate on a ‘modernization and growth’ agenda to support all those involved with and impacted by music streaming. The meeting consisted of exclusive members-only discussions addressing new consumer research, industry partnerships, and the MLC. These discussions featured industry leaders including Jeff Harleston, General Counsel & EVP, Business & Legal Affairs, Universal Music Group; Russ Crupnick, Managing Director, MusicWatch; Abby North, Principal, North Music Group; Josh Hurvitz, A2IM; and Linda Bloss-Baum, Government Affairs Lead, SONA. Contact lauren@dima.org to learn more about becoming a DIMA member.
The Members Meeting also featured a fireside chat with DIMA President & CEO Graham Davies; Steve Blatter, SVP & General Manager, Music Programming, SiriusXM-Pandora; and Ivory Scott, GRAMMY®-nominated Hip-Hop and R&B Artist to discuss the ways streaming supports artists and creators through a variety of tools, including Pandora’s Artist Accelerator program.
Some key quotes from DIMA President & CEO Graham Davies from the Summer Members Meeting include:
- On the modernization and growth agenda – “Streaming has been the greatest generator of wealth for the recorded music industry in a generation. DIMA’s members are the economic engine of this growth, with 2023 seeing another year of double-digit growth. We advocate for policies that support our members’ ability to continue to innovate and drive the industry forward.”
- On new consumer research from MusicWatch – “90 million US streamers say that streaming activates more purchasing of recorded music or merch, or increases live attendance, highlighting the power of streaming.”
- On Canada’s new streaming tax – “The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) decision to impose an unprecedented and discriminatory 5% tax on music streaming services that are already making significant contributions to Canadian artists and culture is very disappointing and runs counter to Canada’s wider interests.”
Finally, it was announced at the meeting that DIMA’s Sally Rose Larson has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Government and External Affairs. Congratulations!
2. Tune In: Black Music Month 2024
As part of our celebration of Black Music Month, DIMA collaborated with industry leaders, Members of Congress, and music experts to recognize the Black community’s invaluable contributions to music and culture. DIMA connected with Reps. Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Don Davis (NC-01), Pandora’s SVP of Organizational Culture and Change Management, Lauren Williams, and Sierra Lever, the Head of Hip-Hop and R&B at Amazon Music, to talk about the journey and meaning of Black music. The conversations highlighted music as a powerful emotional, cultural, and political force for change, with each Representative sharing stories of their own personal connections to music.
Watch the full conversation with each Representative and get into the groove with DIMA’s specially curated Black Music Month playlist, developed based on songs and artists highlighted in the conversations, here.
3. In Action: DIMA on the CRTC’s Decision to Impose Tax on Streaming Services
This month, the CRTC announced their official decision to impose a discriminatory tax on music streaming services in the form of an initial base contribution. DIMA President & CEO, Graham Davies, shared a statement on the decision, saying it “will worsen Canada’s affordability crisis, and turn away younger Canadians who are the predominant users of audio streaming services.” Read the full statement here.
Earlier this month, DIMA’s Graham Davies testified before the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade on the harmful implications of the CRTC’s decision, citing price hikes for consumers and undue burdens on other industries. Read the full testimony here.
Catch up on past reports from DIMA and Spark Insights on the state of music streaming in Canada, here.
4. Tune In: DiMA President & CEO on Chief Influencer Podcast
This month we are celebrating Pride Month, recognizing the continuous culture-shaping contributions of LGBTQIA+ artists and songwriters. Amazon Music, Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube Music have launched curated playlists, community initiatives, and creator events to highlight and support LGBTQIA+ artists.
Follow DiMA (@digitalmediausa) on Twitter to follow the conversation.
