DIMA Digest: May/June 2026
July 7, 2026 | DIMA Digest Newsletter
Welcome news from Canada on Online Streaming Act
DIMA’s President and CEO, Graham Davies, welcomed the announcement from the Canadian Government of their intention to direct the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to review its framework for implementation of the Online Streaming Act. In addition, the Government pledged CAD $600 million of immediate support to the country’s music and broadcasting sectors.
Graham Davies said: “DIMA and its member companies remain fully committed to working collaboratively with the government, the CRTC, creators, and stakeholders across the cultural sector to ensure Canadians continue to have access to the music they love while supporting a vibrant and sustainable Canadian music ecosystem.”
DIMA has engaged extensively with Canadian policymakers over the past two years on issues around the implementation of the Online Streaming Act, the CRTC’s recent discoverability framework, and related legislation in Quebec.
DIMA 2026 Annual Report: Streaming Engagement at Record High
June 9 marked the release of DIMA’s 2026 Annual Report which presents a compelling picture of music streaming’s continued rise as the dominant engine of the global music industry. Drawing on consumer insights from across the United States, Brazil, Canada, Chile, and Mexico, the research captures a moment of high consumer satisfaction and deepening daily engagement.
Among the headline findings:
- 94% of streamers say they like or love their streaming service.
- 50% listen to streaming services every day, rising to 58% among paid subscribers.
- Streamers spend 27% more on recorded music today than they did five years ago — approximately $434 per year on average, rising to $614 among paid on-demand subscribers.
- Streaming is ranked the #1 source of music discovery, cited by 69% of respondents, ahead of social media (50%) and recommendations from friends and family (38%).
- Global music streaming revenues have surpassed $22BN, representing around 70% of total global recorded music revenues (IFPI Global Music Report 2026).
Graham Davies reflected on what the findings mean for policy: “Growing daily engagement with streaming services is powering continued music industry growth. For this success story to continue, we need a policy environment that protects consumers’ seamless experience so that streaming services can continue to invest, innovate and open up global opportunities for artists.”
Successful first DIMA event in Santiago, Chile: Future of Latin America’s Creative Economy
Leaders from the Chilean Congress, government, industry and the diplomatic community convened at the Ritz-Carlton Santiago for discussion of the economic and cultural impact of music streaming across Latin America. Hosted by DIMA in partnership with the American Chamber of Commerce Chile (AmCham) the event underscored that Chile is among the top 30 most relevant music markets globally and growing fast.
The event came at a timely moment, as Chilean lawmakers consider the ‘Tommy Rey’ bill, which would require digital streaming services to pay an inalienable, non-transferable remuneration right directly to performers and artists for the use of their recordings – separate from and on top of the payments that services make to labels and rights holders.
DIMA’s Summer Meeting has become a popular annual industry fixture
Our Summer Meeting, held this year at YouTube’s Pier 57, again drew packed attendance for an afternoon of panels, music, and networking.
Sy Damle and Alli Stillman, partners at Latham & Watkins, unpacked the complex legislative and judicial developments; a panel followed, exploring the music streaming consumer perspective, featuring DIMA’s EVP & General Counsel, Colin Rushing, alongside Bob Bruderman (Chief Digital Officer, Kobalt Music), Danielle Aguirre (Chief Legal Officer & COO, National Music Publishers Association), Erin McAnally (Executive Director, Songwriters of North America), James Duffett-Smith (Global Head of Music Publishing, Amazon Music), Marques Johnson (Head of Music Publishing Business Development Americas, YouTube), and Larry Miller (Clinical Professor & Executive Director, Sony Audio Institute).
The formal program closed with a fireside chat between Graham Davies and Laurent Hubert, CEO of Kobalt Music Group, focusing on his vision for the independent sector followed by the event’s most memorable moment: a live performance by the P.S. 103 Ensemble Stars from Hector Fontanez School — a group of young singers led by their educator, Antoine Dolberry, and supported by Education Through Music.
Revised NO FAKES Act passes committee as DIMA continues to seek amendments
Following extensive dialogue and input from DIMA over the past year, the revised NO FAKES Act bill was reintroduced in the Senate on May 20. Graham Davies commented: “The reintroduced version is a positive step forward including improvements which help provide certainty and clarity for music streaming services.”
The bill subsequently passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously on June 18 and DIMA will continue to work with Senators Coons and Blackburn as the bill advances.
DIMA leads the US policy debate at Music Biz 2026
DIMA again took a leading role at the annual Music Business Association conference in Atlanta on May 13 with Graham Davies moderating a policy panel that unpacked the legislative and regulatory landscape. He was joined by Chris Barkley (SVP of Government Affairs, National Music Publishers’ Association), Todd Dupler (Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer, The Recording Academy), and John Riley (Acting Deputy General Counsel, U.S. Copyright Office). The conversation covered the full range of pressing U.S. policy priorities for the year ahead.
