The Music Managers Forum (MMF) has announced it is launching a Transparency Index that will allow managers to rate the most artist-friendly labels, distributors and aggregators.
The index is part of MMF's Dissecting The Digital Dollar initiative and aims to assess how transparent the streaming business is.
In turn, by recognising the world’s most artist-friendly labels and distributors, it hopes to encourage businesses who fall short, to raise their standards around the supply of data and information.
MMF chief executive Annabella Coldrick said: 'The pace of change in the digital music market is incredible. Only weeks into 2018, and the industry is already buzzing with details of Spotify’s Direct Public Offering, and new licensing deals between Facebook and major record labels and publishers.
'These are seismic events that will define our sector for years to come, however it is absolutely crucial that artists, songwriters and their business representatives can understand how these new partnerships are structured and how their creative works are being exploited.
'Unfortunately, these kind of details are often lacking, which is why the MMF launched our Dissecting The Digital Dollar initiative in the first place.
'We hope that a Transparency Index will provide yet more impetus for improved partnerships between artists and their labels, distributors and aggregators as we look to reforge the industry around fairer and more equitable structures.'
Alongside the Transparency Index, the MMF has also unveiled a Digital Deals Comparison Calculator which artists and managers can use to explore the pros and cons of different label and distributor partnerships, as well as a new book which collates all its Dissecting The Digital Dollar work to date.
The index is part of MMF's Dissecting The Digital Dollar initiative and aims to assess how transparent the streaming business is.
In turn, by recognising the world’s most artist-friendly labels and distributors, it hopes to encourage businesses who fall short, to raise their standards around the supply of data and information.
MMF chief executive Annabella Coldrick said: 'The pace of change in the digital music market is incredible. Only weeks into 2018, and the industry is already buzzing with details of Spotify’s Direct Public Offering, and new licensing deals between Facebook and major record labels and publishers.
'These are seismic events that will define our sector for years to come, however it is absolutely crucial that artists, songwriters and their business representatives can understand how these new partnerships are structured and how their creative works are being exploited.
'Unfortunately, these kind of details are often lacking, which is why the MMF launched our Dissecting The Digital Dollar initiative in the first place.
'We hope that a Transparency Index will provide yet more impetus for improved partnerships between artists and their labels, distributors and aggregators as we look to reforge the industry around fairer and more equitable structures.'
Alongside the Transparency Index, the MMF has also unveiled a Digital Deals Comparison Calculator which artists and managers can use to explore the pros and cons of different label and distributor partnerships, as well as a new book which collates all its Dissecting The Digital Dollar work to date.
