The music business has reacted to information of Labour’s victory within the UK common election, after the celebration 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 at this time (July 5) and promised “nationwide renewal” in a victory speech. Now, the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) has mentioned it appears ahead to working with “a brand new inflow of MPs” following at this time’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 mentioned it’s essential to “choose up on unfinished enterprise from the earlier Parliament, and rapidly ship the much-anticipated reforms to music streaming alongside larger assist for the reside music ecosystem”.
In a bid to assist reside music earlier this yr, MPs really helpful 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 are able to’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 referred to as Starmer a “music loving PM“, mentioned: “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 have to be on the coronary heart of this plan.
“The music business is going through quite a lot 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.”
Mike Skinner of The Streets performs on the Custard Manufacturing unit, 2019. CREDIT: Ollie Millington/Redferns
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night time Time Industries Affiliation (NTIA) echoed that sentiment, and mentioned in an announcement: “The actual work begins now. Our business faces severe challenges and wishes pressing consideration to get better from years of neglect via 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 want 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 evening time industries.”
In the meantime, Chief Government of The Ivors Academy Roberto Neri mentioned: “A music lover main the brand new Authorities, with a celebration centered on financial progress, the inventive industries and tradition, creates new alternatives for songwriters and composers.
“We want the Authorities to really worth songwriting and composing, which have been chronically undervalued. This implies prioritising the inventive forces behind the music –songwriters and composers – over massive firms and tech giants.”
He added: “Our agenda is obvious: robust mental property protections, efficient regulation of AI, assist for freelancer wellbeing, difficult exploitative business practices, and nurturing future expertise via music training and cultural funding. We’re able to collaborate with, and problem, the brand new Authorities to make this a actuality.”
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 Arduous Life), Get Cape. Put on Cape. Fly. and extra instructed NME how struggles round fee, race, training and ever-closing venues had impacted their hopes for the panorama this yr.
FAC Artist In Residence Rowntree mentioned on the time: “We’re seeing the fragmentation of tradition, an absolute tsunami of recent music, the growing energy of content material platforms, and the stifling algorithms of social media. That is an extremely troublesome second for brand spanking new artists to even get seen, not to mention try to make a dwelling.”
In April, the Tradition, Media and Sport Committee of MPs referred to as for streaming reform with an “optimum fee” 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”.
Elton John. CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/Getty
This comes after Sir Elton John pledged his assist for the Labour Get together this week, telling followers:
“Solely a modified Labour celebration will get Britain’s future again,” he defined on the time. “And make no mistake, the Labour Get together 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 change and training that knowledgeable my early years and paved the way in which for my profession and success is drying up and in peril 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.”
