Creative Industry Trends

Would you believe me if I told you that the marketing rollout for one of the most commercially successful, critically acclaimed independent albums of 2023 was bankrolled by a file-sharing company? It's true — and I gave a whole presentation about it. I'm excited to share below the FULL case study I developed for a workshop last year, on the groundbreaking brand partnership between Jungle and WeTransfer for the "Volcano" album campaign. As someone who typically focuses on tech industry trends, this case study was a rare opportunity for me to flex my muscles in marketing strategy. And there was truly no better subject for me than Jungle — who is one of my favorite live acts, and whose "Volcano" was my most-streamed album of last year. An independent release on AWAL, "Volcano" currently boasts over 500 million Spotify streams, a Brit Award, and stellar music video choreography that would make even professional dancers envious. What many might not realize is that WeTransfer is credited as a producer on all 14 music videos for the album, as well as the full-length Volcano Motion Picture released in December 2023. WeTransfer timed this partnership with their own rebranding as a company, making Jungle the face of their key feature launches. The campaign rolled out across multiple platforms over the course of 250+ days, with many exclusive content releases in Jungle's Medallion fan community, as well as on a bespoke, Jungle-branded WeTransfer landing page. In the deck below, I break down: 🌋 The shape of Volcano's 254-day "waterfall" content release strategy, and how WeTransfer's role as a brand partner evolved throughout 🌋 Why WeTransfer and Jungle's brand aesthetics and audiences align 🌋 How the campaign catapulted Jungle's streaming and social media growth 🌋 How the campaign did NOT move the needle on brand awareness for WeTransfer — but still may have succeeded for the company in other ways 🌋 How to use tools like Chartmetric, Semrush, and SocialBlade to benchmark performance of similar campaigns across streaming, social media, and web traffic metrics Disclaimer: This analysis only covers March–December 2023, so does not include Jungle's recent campaign with Gap, which had an even further impact on Jungle's streaming and social performance. I *love* doing these data-driven music marketing breakdowns — especially for artists and scenes close to my heart — and would love to help other people out with this work. There's so much insight to be gained, even just from publicly available data. If you're interested in collaborating on similar case studies or audits on social media campaigns for your artist or brand, please DM me to discuss! #musicmarketing #musicdata #musictech #dataanalysis #musicindustry #musicbiz #musicbusiness #marketingstrategy

Securing rights to music catalogs has been a consistent business model in the industry: Buy up the hits, collect royalties for life. And it’s still a viable option. Catalog music is the most streamed online, accounting for 72.6% of total album-equivalent music consumption in 2023. But AI poses a unique threat. A lot of money made off these catalogs comes from sync licensing (background music, B-roll, or international campaigns). Using even a short snippet of a popular song can be costly. So, if you're a brand, and want something like “Bohemian Rhapsody” but don’t want to pay a fortune, AI may be able to get you 90% of the way there for next to nothing. Especially for music that’s only getting 10 seconds of air time, brands may think twice before they invest in the real deal. Of course, there will always be a difference between “sounds like” and “is.” The original work carries weight, and as long as that still matters to people, catalogs will hold value. But the economics around music are shifting. If you're investing in catalogs—or building a business around them—don't just look at historical returns. Factor in where technology is headed.

The RIAA just dropped their mid-year report on recorded music and, well, music is going through some sh*t. Here's the top-line numbers: US Recorded Music: +3.9% YoY Streaming: +4% Physical: +13% Vinyl: +17% 👀 CDs: +4% Downloads: -16% 👋 Sync: -10% Now, here's a few takeaways: 1. This is recorded music's slowest growth in 5 years. You can sugarcoat this by saying "we're at all-time highs!" But this isn't going to cut it. We have more artists than ever releasing more music than ever, all splitting up the same pie. That pie needs to get bigger, faster. 2. But, streaming is hitting a ceiling. Paid streaming subscribers only grew by 2.6%. This is a 5-year trend showing we're basically at peak streaming in the US. 2020: 25% 2021: 13% 2022: 10% 2023: 7% 2024: 3% We're too reliant on an all-you-can-eat, passive consumption model that's maxed out. Prices will continue to go up, but new growth must come from elsewhere... The big bright spot? 3. Vinyl is not slowing down. Sales grew another 17%, faster than any other format. - It's up 219% over 5 years - The avg LP price is now over $30 - This will be 18 straight years of growth But it's not about consumption, it's about fandom. And I believe it's an indicator of something bubbling under the surface. The people want more. --- Here's the full RIAA Mid-Year 2024 Report: https://lnkd.in/eAgqS9MZ

🎧 Hungama Music just shut down. That’s three major streaming platforms gone in the last 15 months: 📴 Resso (Jan 2024) 📴 Wynk Music (Aug 2024) 📴 Hungama Music (Apr 2025) And we need to talk about what this really means for the Indian music industry. 👇 Here’s what we are observing (and why artists, labels and music entrepreneurs should pay attention): 🔹 1. India’s Streaming Market Is Consolidating. The game now belongs to the global giants—Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music. Domestic players couldn't keep up with Advanced algorithms, better UI/UX, global partnerships, bigger marketing budgets etc. Fewer platforms = fewer opportunities for indie and regional artists to break through. 🔹 2. India Still Doesn’t Want to Pay for Music. Hungama shifted to a subscription-only model. May be a bad move—for a market where free, ad-supported content dominates. Low ARPU (average revenue per user) has made India a tough place to survive as a standalone music app. 🔹 3. Music Alone Can’t Pay the Bills Anymore. OTT platforms bundle music, brands use it as value-add but music isn't the product anymore—it’s the bait. Unless you’re a content or tech giant, music streaming isn’t profitable. Artists need to adapt fast. 🔹 4. Discovery Is Algorithm-Driven Now. With fewer indie-friendly platforms, discovery is at the mercy of algorithms. If you’re not optimising metadata, thumbnails, playlists and reels—you’re invisible. 🔹 5. Artists Need a New Playbook. The streaming-first model isn’t working. The future? - Direct-to-fan monetization - Brand syncs - Live acts - Niche communities - Strong personal branding 🎙️ As the industry changes, so should we. The golden age of passive streaming is fading. This is the era of intentional building—of ecosystems, not just music. Labels, artists, managers—it’s time to zoom out. 💬 What do you think this means for Indian music? Are we ready for a more decentralized, fan-first future? #IndianMusicIndustry #MusicStreaming #MusicBusiness #SpotifyIndia #IndependentArtists #MusicMarketing #DigitalMedia #MusicEconomy #LinkedInForArtists

The recent decision by Universal Music Group to remove their music from TikTok marks a significant and somewhat ironic shift in the music industry. Over the past four years, TikTok has been the linchpin of the industry's A&R strategies, reshaping how music is discovered, promoted, and even valued. The platform's influence extends beyond its own realm; it has been instrumental in driving record numbers to other platforms and streaming services like Spotify. With an impressive conversion rate, over 35% of TikTok users follow through to listen to songs on Spotify, highlighting the platform's powerful impact on music consumption and trends. Interestingly, TikTok's role in the music industry has been more than just a promotional tool; it has become a barometer for talent acquisition and marketing strategies. Record labels, including behemoths like Universal, have been keenly observing TikTok trends to identify and sign new talent. The numbers speak volumes: around 17,000 artists have been signed in the last four years, largely thanks to their virality on TikTok. If we hypothetically consider each deal at $100,000 – a conservative estimate given the competitive nature of TikTok bidding wars – we're looking at a staggering $1.7 billion invested in new talent based on TikTok's influence alone. This move by Universal Music Group isn't just a financial strategy; it's a statement about the changing dynamics of the music industry. While it's crucial for the industry to strive towards fairness, equity, and balanced compensation for artists, labels, publishers, and songwriters, this disagreement underscores the intricate and evolving relationship between social media platforms and the music industry. Regardless of whether one is directly involved with TikTok or signed to Universal, this development is monumental and will impact everyone in the music landscape. It raises fundamental questions about how music is valued and monetized in the digital age and whether current models are sustainable or fair for all parties involved.

🌎 Emerging Markets Are Leading the Global Music Revolution — And It’s Time to Invest While mature markets like the U.S., Japan, and Canada show signs of stagnation, emerging markets are experiencing explosive growth — and they hold the key to the future of the music business. 🚀 Brazil is the fastest-growing Top 10 market, expanding 21.7% last year alone. 💥 Latin America overall surged 22.5%. 🔥 MENA (+22.8%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (+22.6%) are booming. Streaming dominates, accounting for nearly 88% of recorded music revenue. But here’s where it gets even more interesting: ✅ Emerging markets aren’t just growing — they’re exporting. Examples: Colombian and Mexican artists produce music at lower costs, yet their songs flood the U.S. market, home to 60M+ Spanish speakers, where pay-per-stream is much higher. * Moroccan artists chart in France, taking advantage of cultural proximity and stronger royalty rates. * Nigerian Afrobeats artists dominate playlists globally, especially in the UK, U.S., and France, while production costs remain low in Nigeria. * Egyptian and Lebanese artists are expanding into European markets, leveraging diaspora audiences. * Turkish artists are increasingly breaking into Germany’s market, supported by a large Turkish community and higher streaming payouts. 🌍 The strategy is clear: produce high-quality music affordably in emerging markets — distribute globally — and capture revenue from premium, mature markets. 🚨 For investors: Pay close attention. This is not a trend; it’s a structural shift. The three major record labels (Universal, Sony, Warner) have already understood this and are actively investing in companies and talent across Latin America, Africa, and MENA. Now is the perfect moment to invest in music companies, labels, and tech platforms based in these regions — before valuations skyrocket. Those who move fast will be positioned to lead the next era of the global music industry. #MusicIndustry #EmergingMarkets #LatinAmerica #Africa #MENA #Turkey #Streaming #MusicBusiness #GlobalMusic #InvestmentOpportunity #Afrobeats #Reggaeton #ArabicMusic #SpanishMusic #VC #PrivateEquity #MusicTech

Most creators obsess over the product. Few obsess over the rollout. The release is part of the art. Not an afterthought. Taylor Swift understands this. Midnights hit 1.4 million equivalent album units in 5 days. Fastest-selling album of 2022. Spotify record for most-streamed album in a day. Radiohead proved it differently with In Rainbows. Pay-what-you-want strategy. Made $3 million instantly. Sold 3+ million copies total. Compare this to most launches: Only 40% of tech products hit their launch goals. Companies that run pre-launch campaigns see 30% higher engagement. Yet 68% of creators launch with less than 2 weeks of planning. The difference? Strategic rollouts. Here's the 7-step framework that turns launches into breakthroughs: 1. Build anticipation, not just awareness Swift's cryptic countdown posts drove millions into detective mode. Create mystery before revelation. Tease features, don't announce them. Let your audience solve the puzzle. 2. Treat timing as a creative choice Radiohead released when the industry said "impossible." Their timing made a statement about value. Your launch date is part of your message. Choose it like you choose your words. 3. Plan for the long arc Most creators go silent after launch day. The best ones create seasons, not moments. Map content for 90 days, not 9 days. Think campaign, not event. 4. Map your content ecosystem One launch needs multiple content formats. Behind-the-scenes videos for YouTube. Process breakdowns for LinkedIn. User stories for testimonials. Each piece feeds the others. 5. Build community before you need it Swift had Swifties before she had albums to sell. Start building relationships today. Engage in comments, not just posts. Your launch audience should already know you. 6. Design feedback loops Launch, listen, adapt, repeat. Every comment is data for your next move. The best launches become conversations. Plan how you'll respond, not just how you'll speak. 7. Create momentum multipliers Design each piece to generate the next piece. User-generated content campaigns. Media coverage from early adopters. Referral programs that reward sharing. Success should snowball, not plateau. Your creative work deserves a creative launch. Stop treating the rollout like an obligation. Start treating it like an opportunity. ♻️ Share this with someone ready to launch their work strategically 🔔 Follow Kabir Sehgal for frameworks on creativity

Streaming is growing across all areas of entertainment. Nielsen found that time spent streaming soared to 40.3% of total TV usage, and Luminate's Mid-Year 2024 report echoes this sentiment, showing consistent growth in streaming across all forms of entertainment. Here are some of Luminate's top findings for my music industry peers: 🎵 Streaming Growth Continues to Surge: Global On-Demand Audio streaming grew by +15.1% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, reaching 2.29 trillion streams. The U.S. also saw significant increases, with total album consumption up by 7.4% and physical album sales rising by 8.0%. Notably, Latin music led the streaming growth in the U.S., with a +0.51 percentage point increase in its share of On-Demand Audio streams. 🎵 The Continued Rise of Independent Artists: Independent artists accounted for 62.1% of all artists who accumulated between 1M and 10M U.S. On-Demand Audio streams in H1 2024, illustrating the growing impact of indie musicians. Additionally, the share of indie artists with over 500M On-Demand Audio streams grew by more than 2% compared to H2 2023, showing that indie artists are in many respects hitting superstar status without major label involvement. 🎵 Live Music Drives Local Consumption: Data from 50 artists, 990 shows, and 129 U.S. markets revealed a median 42% growth in local DMA On-Demand Audio streaming during the week of an event. Dance/Electronic events saw the highest local streaming increase at +143%, followed by Rock (+63%) and Pop (+53%), highlighting the significant impact of live performances on local music consumption. 🎵 TikTok's Remains The Short-Form Video King: Despite the rise of other platforms like YouTube Shorts, TikTok continues to be the most dominate SFV platform, with 76% of music listeners having watched short-form videos and 22% having posted content. 🎵 Superfans and Superstars Together Drive Physical Music Sales: The physical music market is being driven by the synergy between superfans and superstar artists. The Top 10 best-selling albums of 2024 featured an average of seven different vinyl variants per title, fueled by the high demand from superfans. Major releases from artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are leading this trend, with each album carrying multiple vinyl, CD, and cassette variants. Additionally, 92.4% of total vinyl sales came from the five highest-performing variants of a given album release, showcasing how superstar-driven projects are revitalizing physical music sales. 🎵 Sustainability Can Drive Music Consumption: Sustainability is becoming a key concern for music listeners, particularly those purchasing physical music. For example, 37% of physical music purchasers in the U.S. cite sustainability as a cause they care about, 26% higher than the average U.S. music listener.

🎵 An AI-generated song just hit #1 on Billboard. What does that mean for the future of music? “Walk My Walk” — by Breaking Rust — became the first fully AI-created track to top Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart. No human singer. No studio sessions. No lived experience. Just an algorithm. This isn’t just a music story — it’s a business story. If AI can write, sing, produce and release a chart-topper: 💡 What happens to the economics of the music industry? 💡 How do record labels justify million-dollar artist investments when an AI can create infinite “artists” at near-zero cost? 💡 Who owns the royalties — the coder, the model, or no one? 💡 Will audiences care if the song emotionally moves them anyway? For the industry, this signals 3 major shifts: 1️⃣ Cost model disruption – AI can produce music faster and cheaper than human creators. 2️⃣ New talent definition – The next “hit maker” may be a machine, not a musician. 3️⃣ Ethical + legal grey zones – Copyright, transparency, and authenticity will become battlegrounds. But there’s opportunity too: ✔ Human-AI co-creation will unlock entirely new genres ✔ Independent artists can produce studio-quality music without big budgets ✔ Labels can build virtual artists and micro-target audiences at scale The big questions are: * What does it mean to be an “artist” in an age where identity can be generated, not lived? • How should the music industry balance innovation (AI art) with protection of human artists’ livelihoods? • What role should platforms (Spotify, YouTube) play in labeling or regulating AI-generated music? • How do we ensure that AI-generated music remains diverse and culturally inclusive, rather than homogenized? #AIMusic #FutureOfMusic #MusicIndustry #ArtificialIntelligence #CreativeEconomy Devraj Sanyal Jay Mehta Would love your views and inputs 🙏 Check out the song if you haven’t already : https://lnkd.in/dsegspCg

The music industry is shifting (again) … For decades, labels and publishers were chasing the next big hit or the next rising star. Today? The real race is for 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬. - In France, catalog streams now account for 60% of paid audio streaming (SNEP / Billboard France). - In the US, catalog listening grew twice as fast as new releases (Luminate via Billboard). - Billions are being poured into acquisitions — from Queen to Michael Jackson to publishing portfolios (MIDiA Research). The truth is: 𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒈 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒚. But for years, it was neglected in terms of resources and strategy. (I’ve seen it firsthand during my time working in a back catalogue team.) That perception is changing. Older tracks are being pushed back into the spotlight by trends, syncs, and nostalgia. And let’s be honest: even the Backstreet Boys are “back catalogue” now (sorry to say it, but "I Want It That Way" is already decades old!). The benefit? The development investment was already made years ago. Today, catalogs deliver high-margin profits with minimal new costs. With streaming, they generate recurring long-term revenues, which in turn can finance the development of new talent. This doesn’t mean new talent doesn’t matter, but it shows where investors, majors, and even artists (Taylor Swift included) see long-term value. The industry is moving from a hit-driven gamble to a catalog-driven strategy. And that shift is reshaping everything: from marketing priorities to investment models. What do you think this means for the discovery and support of tomorrow’s artists? #MusicIndustry #Streaming #Strategy #Catalog #MusicBusiness