Music Creators’ Earnings in the Digital Era

Not only has digital technology revolutionised the way we access music, it has also transformed how artists earn money from music. These changes have been rapid, meaning that there has been limited evidence and data that would show how money is made and distributed. This has in no small part led to a high profile and highly polarised public debate, with this lack of evidence and data contributing to misunderstandings and confusion.

Intellectual property (IP), especially copyright, trade marks and brands, provides creators with the tools to allow them to make money and protect their creativity. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has a role to play in understanding how those IP rights support the creative value chain. As such, the IPO has led the way by working in partnership with the UK music industry to commission this study to deliver robust and independent evidence. The following report is the most comprehensive piece of research on this topic, to date.