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SACEM collected a record 1.6 billion euros ($1.73 billion) in 2024, up 7.7% from 2023, the French organization announced this week, fueled largely by international expansion. In France, SACEM collected 852 million euros ($922 million, based on the average annual conversion rate for 2024), up about 2%. Internationally, though, it took in 749 million euros ($811), a gain of 15%. That means that almost half of SACEM’s revenue is international, which is significant for a CMO in a market with a strong national repertoire. Royalty distributions were up 12%, to 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion).
For SACEM, like other big European CMOs, it’s a whole new world, thanks to the ability to represent online rights across much of the world (although not the U.S.). As general music business growth slows, mostly due to streaming subscription saturation in big markets, this has allowed SACEM to continue to grow by signing deals with publishers and other CMOs.
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“The strategy we’ve developed over the last years is to convince publishers and other CMOs to join forces with us to be able to better deal with platforms, not from an equal position but one that’s more balanced, and to invest in tools that benefit everyone,” SACEM CEO Cécile Rap-Veber told Billboard at the Music Biz Conference in Atlanta, where she also did a keynote interview. “We’ve secured new mandates to represent more repertoire, so we can take in more money and reduce our costs.”
For most of the history of SACEM, which has operated since the 1850s, before any of its peer societies, the organization did most of its business in France. CMOs remitted money to other CMOs, but the European organizations did not really compete with one another. That changes with a 2014 European Union Directive that generally allowed CMOs to maintain their national monopolies but also to compete for online rights. Competition in the decade since allowed two giant “licensing hubs” to emerge: SACEM and ICE, a joint venture of PRS for Music (the UK CMO), GEMA (the German one) and STIM (Swedish). While direct comparisons are difficult because of the way the different organizations report their results, SACEM has become either the biggest CMO outside the U.S. (based on royalties it collects and distributes) or the biggest in the world (based on the total amount of money it takes in, some of which it passes directly to other organizations for them to distribute).
SACEM now represents 510,000 songwriters and rightsholders worldwide, in 180 territories. Its international royalties, almost all online, have grown 29% since 2023. It signed 16 new deals – mandates is the term used – this year, in addition to the 70 it already had, including with Universal Music Publishing, ASCAP, the Canadian CMO SOCAN, and the Korean CMP KOMCA.
Rap-Veber’s strategy is that this kind of expansion creates a virtuous circle: Increased scale leads to increased revenue, which allows for increased investment, which in turn leads to further increases in scale. That scale also allows for wider scaring of costs, which lets rightsholders take a higher percentage of the money SACEM collects.
The industrywide slowdown in growth is intensifying competition among societies, as limited natural growth means expansion must come from international markets, or at the expense of peer organizations. As fears of economic contraction grow in Europe and the U.S., it is hard to imagine national growth that’s significantly higher than inflation on a sustained basis. That puts the focus on other markets, where the larger international societies can compete. “We have direct license deals now in India, Vietnam and the Philippines,” Rap-Veber says. “With almost 80 partners, we have the weight to be an international player, with more penetration in more countries.”
As SACEM expands globally, it continues to prioritize local cultural investment in France, where it follows a dedicated cultural strategy. With the money it took in from the blank media levy — a copyright fee charged on blank media and computer memory — it put aside 20 million euros ($22 million) for 3,600 cultural projects in France, including 478 festivals and 185 venues.
On May 10, DJ Snake is set to perform consecutively in two of the largest concert venues in France: the Stade de France (80,000 people) and then the Accor Arena (20,000 people). It’s an unprecedented feat for an artist accustomed to breaking records as he prepares to release his third studio album.
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DJ Snake stands relaxed yet alert, his eyes sharp in front of the lens of Nabil Elderkin—a renowned director and photographer known, among other things, for his work with Travis Scott and The Weeknd. The artist is about to give a landmark concert at the Stade de France, titled The Final Show, followed by an after-party at the Accor Arena. An unprecedented feat for a DJ in France and a testament to his popularity in his home country, the event sold out in just three minutes.
More than a decade after his rise began, he is now one of the most influential ambassadors of the French electronic scene and ranks among the 100 most popular artists in the world on Spotify. Four of his singles have made it into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.
“Paris is my city,” he declares at the start of the interview. He has a visceral connection to the capital that goes beyond simple geographical attachment. “It’s the city that taught me everything, really. Even musically—the strong influence of hip-hop in Paris, African music, Arabic music, French pop… That whole mix is what makes my music sound the way it does today.”
He found himself backed into a corner in the summer of 2012, after several years of DJing in the capital’s upscale clubs. Having already worked behind the scenes for artists like Lady Gaga (earning him a Grammy nomination), he felt limited in his artistic expression. So, he invested his savings into renting a recording studio and gave himself two months to make it as a solo artist. That risky bet turned out to be the launching point for a meteoric rise, beginning in 2013 with “Turn Down for What,” his collaboration with Lil Jon.
A Leading Figure of the French Electronic Music Scene
“With all humility, I don’t claim to represent France,” DJ Snake confides. “I represent a guy from Paris, who’s Franco-Algerian, and I just try my best to do interesting things.”
Yet with 13 billion streams on Spotify and four music videos surpassing one billion views on YouTube, DJ Snake undeniably carries the country’s colors on the international stage. “We have an incredible electronic scene that’s respected worldwide. Our older brothers did an extraordinary job—Daft Punk, Justice, Bob Sinclar, Martin Solveig, David Guetta, Madeon…”
The Stade de France, the largest venue in the country, marks the pinnacle of an unlikely journey: “It’s my destiny—to come from the very bottom, have an unconventional path, be a guy no one believed in at first, and end up at the top, at the Stade de France.”
More than just a concert, The Final Show represents a clear ambition for him: “The goal is really to make history.” When ticket sales opened, more than 500,000 people were in the queue at the same time. “We had planned a whole promo run—interviews, TV appearances, billboards in the streets of Paris… We had a full campaign ready, because never, ever, ever did I think I’d fill the Stade de France in three minutes.”
So the artist decided to extend the celebration: “I said to Julie, my manager, ‘Check if the Accor Arena is available.’ If it was, we’d throw the afterparty there. At least we’d have 20,000 people—20,000 lucky ones, 20,000 members of the Snake Army—with whom we could throw a massive event.” It was a winning bet: the Bercy venue also sold out.
DJ Snake
Nabil Elderkin for Billboard France
Supporting the New Generation
“You can come from a small suburb and do big things, with very little—just with drive, ideas, a group of friends, fun, and a lot of ambition,” says DJ Snake. “What I mean is, ‘Go for it, anything is possible.’ You’ve got a passport, you can travel—have fun, do what you need to do, and fight for your vision.”
The artist expresses confidence in the future of the new generation: “There are so many talented people, and I’m really not worried about the industry or the French scene. I think of someone like Trym, who’s bringing his hard techno vibe. His project is going to keep growing—Americans love it—and I think what he represents is really cool.”
The next step after his Stade de France triumph: launching a label dedicated to supporting new talent. “I think after my album, the goal is to start a new label and sign a lot of young artists. I want to give them a platform to express themselves.”
The Nomadic Spirit
While Paris remains his emotional home port, DJ Snake sees himself first and foremost as a citizen of the world. “I strangely feel at home everywhere,” he explains. “And I really have that nomadic thing. The nomadic spirit—it’s something that truly reflects who I am. It’s a rhythm I’ve had since I was young. I’ve always been on the move, I’ve always traveled.
“Now, I’m able to absorb the vibe of a city quickly. It’s crazy what I’ve managed to develop—I’m just realizing it now.” Still, it’s a demanding balance: “Traveling is very inspiring—meeting people, connecting with artists, discovering different cultures… But the travel itself is exhausting. It’s a lot of pressure. I have a hard time creating while on tour. I need to stop and settle somewhere. I stepped back a bit from social media when I was touring more, because I was finishing my album and needed not to be constantly on the move.”
With “Disco Maghreb” in 2022, DJ Snake reached a form of personal fulfillment. The instrumental track with Algerian influences came from a deeply intimate place. “The impact of ‘Disco Maghreb’ was huge. It was unprecedented, and I really didn’t expect it. I was the first to be surprised,” he says. “It will still be played at weddings 20 years from now.
“Algeria gives me so much love. It’s really hard for me to walk down the street there, for example. That’s something I don’t experience anywhere else, even though I’m known pretty much worldwide.”
For him, the real victory lies in his ability to make traditional music resonate far beyond its original audience: “When I’m performing in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Taiwan or Japan, and I see people dancing to Algerian rhythms—that’s a cultural victory.”
DJ Snake
Nabil Elderkin for Billboard France
A New Album After Six Years of Waiting
DJ Snake is preparing to make his return with a new project, with the announcement coinciding with his show at the Stade de France. “It’s true that it went by quickly,” he admits, reflecting on the time since “Carte Blanche.” “I felt the need to offer a new chapter in my career. I had things to say, things to offer. With the Stade de France, I thought, ‘I think we’re going to make a great combo, Stade de France, album. We’re going to have fun.’
“It’s an album where I had fun. I pushed creativity to the max. Of course, it’ll still be DJ Snake, I’m not coming back with a funk album or a drum and bass album. There will be electronic sounds, there will be touching moments, and we’re going to have fun.”
This versatility is one of the artist’s signatures: “I release ‘Let Me Love You’ with Justin Bieber, the next month I drop a dubstep track called ‘Propaganda,’ which is super aggressive. Then I do something like ‘Magenta Riddim’ with Indian influences. After that, I can do a house track, I can do ‘Disco Maghreb’…. I really took people on a journey from left to right. But always with integrity and my vision. That’s why people have never seen me as an opportunist, because my approach has always been sincere.”
He embraces this diversity as an integral part of his identity: “When you’re in music, your art has to be solid, and it has to touch people. There has to be emotion, but it has to connect with the audience. I don’t understand artists who make the same song every time. They have a hit with something, and then they make five follow-ups with the same rhythm, the same guitar. I’d go crazy. That’s why I always need to reinvent myself and offer something different.”
In Search of Authenticity
In an electronic landscape where trends, particularly on social media, often overshadow creative choices, artistic independence is a fundamental principle for DJ Snake. “My vision is what matters the most to me. I’ve done everything to protect it and to maintain this independence, this freedom to navigate.”
For the producer behind global hits like “Let Me Love You” and “Lean On,” he says “the impact of TikTok” has changed electronic music, with consumption becoming increasingly rapid. “The industry has changed. The way entertainment, not just music, is consumed has made it so very little remains,” he observes.
“Since I was young, I’ve always been on the move, I’ve always traveled… We’ve met the biggest artists in the world, the biggest celebrities, visited the most beautiful places on the planet. But at some point, you go through all of that and you start to appreciate the simplest things.”
This quest for authenticity shows up both in his music and his creative approach: “My music is a reflection of my daily life, my life—it’s me, really. I translate what I feel. For sure, there will be simpler things than what I’ve done before.”
His side project, The Outlaw, under which he will perform at the Accor Arena, also allows him to return to his roots: “It was really about having total creative freedom, not worrying about my image, my status, or having to play all my pop hits all the time. It’s really a kind of outlet.” He shares that he aims to release an EP under The Outlaw in the coming months.
This article originally appeared on Billboard France.
France’s biggest pop star, now striking out on her own, continues to challenge the status quo and captivate audiences around the globe.
How do you reinvent yourself after establishing, in less than a decade, a place as one of the cornerstones of the French music scene — with over 6 billion streams and 24 diamond certifications (16 in France, 8 internationally)?
“I’ve already asked myself that question,” Aya Nakamura admits.
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“My answer is that when you’re an artist, you’re supposed to evolve. Otherwise, you stop living your music. At some point, you feel like you’re no longer truly yourself. I believe that as long as you embrace who you are, as long as you’re still living, still feeling emotions, you’ll have no problem channeling that energy back into your music… At least, when you’re passionate.”
At 29, the singer has already left an indelible mark on French pop. Her hits “Djadja” and “Pookie,” sung entirely in French, have travelled the globe — so much so that she’s become the obvious choice to represent francophone music at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.
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“I wonder if I could have done the same thing had I been born 20 years earlier,” she reflects. “It definitely wouldn’t have been this easy… especially because there’s something new here — a Black woman wanting to sing in her own bold, unapologetic style, without waiting for anyone to open doors for her, and reaching her audience through different channels.”
Now fully independent, Aya Nakamura is turning the page and beginning a new chapter — one that kicks off with her first major signing.
The Beginnings
Born in Bamako, Mali, Aya arrived in France just a few months later. Coming from a family of griots — West African storytellers and musicians — she grew up in Aulnay-sous-Bois, in a household where music was already part of everyday life.
“It’s kind of special, because my mother was a singer and would’ve loved to have a career. Now, I’m doing it in her place — almost like a form of redemption for her. I want to go all the way, and I hope it can inspire other women to pursue their own dreams.”
Her real start came in 2014, when she posted her first track, “Karma,” on Facebook. A fan of the TV series Heroes, she took inspiration from the character Hiro Nakamura to create her stage name.
The turning point came in 2017 with her debut album Journal Intime, now certified platinum. Newly signed to Warner Music France at the time, Aya Nakamura laid the foundation for the signature sound that would come to define her. On the track “Oumou Sangaré,” she paid tribute to her Malian heritage — a connection she’s been feeling drawn to again.
“Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more about doing something like that again,” she says.
Olympic Recognition
Aya Nakamura’s international breakthrough came in 2018 with the release of “Djadja.” The track topped the French charts for two consecutive weeks and quickly crossed European borders. In the Netherlands, it made history: for the first time since Édith Piaf in 1961, a French-language song by a female artist reached No. 1 on the charts.
This meteoric success was cemented with the release of her second album, Nakamura, in November 2018. Fueled by diamond-certified singles like “Copines,” “La Dot” and “Pookie,” the album became a commercial phenomenon unlike anything seen before for a francophone artist. It went diamond in France with over 500,000 copies sold, matched by another half-million internationally. Today, it holds the record as the most streamed francophone album in Spotify history, with over 2 billion streams.
Her trajectory continued with two more albums, AYA and DNK, but it reached a symbolic high point on July 26, 2024, when she performed on the Pont des Arts during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games. Accompanied by musicians from the Garde Républicaine and the French Army Choir, the performance became the most-watched moment in French television history, drawing 31.4 million viewers.
“What can I say? People often call it ‘iconic.’ It took me six months to truly process what I’d done,” she admits. “In the moment, you’re just pushing forward, head down, working hard to deliver something you can be proud of. Then, when you step back and look at everything — the impact, the debates… it feels like a movie. In the end, I feel like I made it.”
In February 2025, just months after her global triumph, Aya surprised fans with “Chimiyé” — a single that marked a distinct shift in her discography. Collaborating with rapper Alpha Wann and the Don Dada team (JayJay, Selman, StillNas), she ventured into new sonic territory, blending R&B with elements of spoken word and rap.
“I gave myself the challenge of making something more rap-leaning — without actually being a rapper. That’s what pushed me out of my comfort zone,” she explains. “I like working with people who are a bit unexpected. Some of my producers don’t even usually listen to my music — and that keeps things fun. Without those collaborations, I would’ve never made tracks like ‘Djadja’ or ‘Pookie.’”
On Feb. 23, 2025, she broke yet another record: the “Djadja” video surpassed one billion views on YouTube, becoming only the fourth French-language song to reach that milestone — and the first by an African artist to do so.
Next stop, the Stade de France?
“Yes, but not just yet,” she smiles. “I still want to take my time. In France, it feels like the final step — and before I get there, I want to keep sharing other shows, other moments with my audience.”
Beyond Borders
How can one explain such a rare ability to transcend language barriers? Aya Nakamura pauses before answering.
“I didn’t realize right away that I had an international audience — it really happened gradually. People would tell me, ‘You’re being listened to all over the world,’ but it was through interactions with fans on social media and stumbling across videos that I began to understand the scale of it. I found fan accounts in Brazil, in Venezuela… I travel too, and I hear my music everywhere — in the U.S., in Thailand. But I don’t really create my music with a specific place in mind. I just try to offer something that feels real to me — and if it resonates worldwide, that’s a bonus.”
That global reach also shows in her collaborations. After teaming up with Colombian superstar Maluma for a “Djadja” remix in 2020, she joined forces with Nigerian sensation Ayra Starr for a reimagined version of her hit “Hypé” in March 2024 — a track that climbed to No. 17 on the U.K. charts, a rare feat for a song sung mostly in French.
“I think music is energy,” she says. “The songs that connect most are often the ones where I’ve poured the most of myself into them emotionally. People don’t just listen for the lyrics… It’s like when I used to listen to artists like Rihanna growing up, without understanding everything she was singing. What connects with people when they hear certain songs of mine is the energy in that moment — and also the blend of influences inside me that you can hear.”
That emotional authenticity, combined with her distinctive vocal style and a French language she molds into her own rhythm and expression, forms an instantly recognizable artistic identity.
“I don’t know if that’s what makes the songs universal,” she reflects, “but I think it’s the honesty I put into them, the constant search for something new. I’m not trying to ride the latest wave — I just want to offer something I’m 100% proud of, without making any artistic compromises. Maybe that’s why it speaks to people. I try to follow my instincts and creative desires, while keeping my standards high.”
From Music to Fashion
Aya Nakamura’s cultural influence now extends well beyond the realm of music. In February 2023, she was named global ambassador for Lancôme, marking her entry into the exclusive circle of luxury brand muses — a milestone that would open the door to a new world of opportunities.
On May 6, 2024, she received one of the most coveted invitations in fashion: the Met Gala in New York. With her appearance, she became only the sixth French musical artist to walk its legendary red carpet, following icons like Catherine Deneuve, Vanessa Paradis, Lou Doillon, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Carla Bruni.
Just weeks later, on June 23, 2024, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour personally selected her to perform her single “Fly” at the prestigious Vogue World Paris show, held in Place Vendôme. Dressed in a custom haute couture gown by Jean Paul Gaultier, Nakamura took part in a striking celebration of music and fashion.
“I really love fashion and the creative universe it represents,” she shares. “I’m enjoying getting deeper into it. I absolutely loved performing at Place Vendôme and being part of this blend of music and fashion. I felt completely at ease — and I found the entire production of the event to be incredibly high-quality.”
Independent Now
Alongside her growing institutional recognition, Aya Nakamura has taken control of her professional destiny. After overseeing her own artistic direction as early as “Djadja,” she took the defining step toward full independence by launching her own label.
“It’s a whole different thing,” she admits. “To be honest, I’ve always felt independent — especially when it comes to creative direction. I’m deeply involved in all the strategic decisions, from picking singles and setting release dates to choosing the visuals and producers I work with. Becoming independent has given me a whole new perspective on the business side. Now I can make all the decisions — and take full responsibility for them, whether they lead to success or not.”
“I’m still surrounded by a great team and I know when to let go,” she adds, “but mastering the entire process around the music, not just the creation part, is something I find truly exciting. It matters to me.”
Beyond her own career, Nakamura is also committed to supporting the next generation of artists.
“I’ve already signed someone — though no one knows yet,” she reveals with a smile. “His name is RnBoi. He’s young and just starting out, and it’s going really well. We met about six months ago, after I invited him to perform at my DVM Show. I took the leap — I think he has something special.”
Pop Star and Mother
Behind the icon is a young woman and a mother of two daughters, Aïcha and Ava, born in 2016 and 2022, respectively. Balancing an international career with motherhood is a daily challenge.
“To be totally honest, it’s a bit complicated with fame, but my balance comes from trying as much as possible to live like a normal person,” she shares. “For example, I go to the park with my kids, I cook for them — these moments are precious to me. It’s not always easy, and sometimes I try to be discreet to maintain a sense of normalcy. I’m really determined to preserve that freedom and have moments that I can live fully, away from the spotlight.”
Aya Nakamura
Billboard France
If your TikTok FYP frequently feeds you clips of semi-professional dancers, you’ve probably heard a snippet of Blaiz Fayah and Maureen’s intoxicating “Money Pull Up.” “Money pull up/ Action we ah turn it up/ Shatta run di place and guess/ Who ah bring it up?” the French dancehall artist chants over an infectious, percussive beat.
Hailing from Paris, France, Blaiz Fayah turned his childhood experiences of following his saxophonist father around to zouk gigs in Guadeloupe and Martinique into a bustling dancehall career that’s now birthing international viral hits. According to Luminate, “Money Pull Up” has collected over 1.7 million official on-demand U.S. streams, an impressive number for a song from two rising international stars operating in a relatively niche genre. On TikTok, the official “Money Pull Up” sound plays in over 231,000 posts, including multiple clips from TikTok-Broadway star Charli D’Amelio; the official sound also boasts nearly 30,000 Instagram Reels.
The track – which infuses its dancehall foundation with Martinican shatta (a subgenre of dancehall pioneered in the French Caribbean)– appears on Fayah’s new album Shatta Ting, his first full-length offering since the conclusion of his Mad Ting trilogy. The new record features several collaborators, including Italian-born basshall artist Kybba and producer Mafio House, who helmed several songs, including “Money Pull Up.” His most collaborative project yet, Shatta Ting also gifted Fayah with the opportunity to play his new music for his biggest dancehall heroes in Jamaica.
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“When I listen to Shatta Ting, I’m happy. It was important for me to see all these Jamaican artists and producers and engineers embrace the music when I played it for them out there,” he tells Billboard between rehearsals for his forthcoming tour in support of the new album. “For me, going to Jamaica is like when Muslims go to Mecca. I was a bit shy playing the music at first because these guys have been doing this for over 30 years, so when they hear a song, they don’t have a [physical reaction]. But when they said, ‘Bro, you’re a mad artist,’ I felt at ease.”
Blaiz Fayah’s latest tour kicks off on Feb. 27 in Toulon, France, and will visit concert halls in Nice, Lyon and Luxembourg before concluding on March 29 in Dortmund, Germany. In an illuminating conversation with Billboard, Blaiz Fayah talks about his new Shatta Ting album, the French Caribbean music scene and the merits of TikTok for dancehall’s present and future.
Where are you right now?
I’m actually in a rehearsal studio in Paris making small details before the first show of the tour. It’s a new show for the new album, so I have to [revamp] everything. On the last tour, we mostly used the same show with a few new songs sometimes. By the end, it was a bit too easy because it was so automatic. I was a bit lazy by the end of the tour. I like a challenge, so for the next tour, I have some pressure on me to remember my blocking and everything.
Where are you and your family from? What’s your relationship with dancehall?
I was born in Paris, and we have the French Caribbean as well with Martinique, Guadeloupe, etc. My father was the saxophonist of Kassav’, a big zouk group from the French Caribbean. When I was really young, I used to go to Guadeloupe and Martinique and go to some studio sessions with him. When I grew up, I was assisting in the studio as well. I’ve always been around this culture, listening to reggae and dancehall. I used to listen to Sizzla, Buju Banton, Richie Spice, and all these roots reggae artists. I was digging deep and understanding the story and evolution of the music. I’ve always been like a magnet to this music, not the Jamaican culture.
I don’t act like I’m a Jamaican, and it’s really important to say that… I remember one time I was writing in Jamaica, and someone told me to say “likkle” instead of “little.” I said, “Bro, I’m not Jamaican!” It’s really important for me to stay myself. I’m not saying “bomboclaat” every two sentences. I really like the energy of the music. I never felt this free listening to anything else; there is no other music that brings me this kind of madness.
How would you describe shatta?
Shatta comes from Martinique. It’s a type of riddim with big bass, snares, minimal hi-hats, and, sometimes, no chords. Remixes of Vybz Kartel‘s [vocals] on shatta riddims used to go crazy at every party, same with Aidonia’s voice or Buju’s voice. Martinique still has a thriving dancehall scene and people wanna dance. The shatta riddim makes the people dance. When I play shatta riddims for other artists like Busy Signal and they think it’s fresh, I have to give them their flowers. They started all of this; we’re the result of their influence.
When you hear [Kartel’s] “Benz Punany,” there is no kick drum, only bassline, that’s a choice to make the music stronger. When you hear [Charly Black and J Capri’s] “Wine & Kotch,” it’s the same thing. Jamaica has been doing this for 10-15 years; Martinique just put their own vibe on it. We don’t go as hard lyrically as some Jamaican dancehall artists because it’s not the same culture, but it’s still party music.
How did “Money Pull Up” come together? When did you start to realize that it was growing into a big hit?
I was in Martinique with Mafio House, who wrote the arrangement for the song, listening to “Benz Punany” again. I wanted to combine Gaza-type strings [in reference to Kartel’s Gaza production camp] with a shatta bassline and percussion. 15 minutes later, the first version of the riddim was done. Initially, I wanted Boy Boy on the track because it had a bit of a Trinidadian vibe, but [plans fell through].
I ended up being in the studio in Paris with Maureen, played her the riddim, and she loved it. We wrote and recorded the song immediately, and I sent the track to one producer to clean it up and make it feel less like a demo. But after four weeks, I still had nothing, so I gave the track to Mafio. Three hours later, we had a finished cut of the song.
The label liked the song, but they wanted something easier for people to latch onto. I was like, “If we do what is working now, then we’re not leading our thing. It’s too easy.” Sometimes, I make choices, and the stars are not on the same line at that moment, but I’m not ashamed about it. They agreed to put some money into the video, and within one month, Spotify streams started hitting 500,000 per day. I’m so happy, because I believed in the song ever since I heard the first note of the riddim. And I’m happy, I followed the Gaza influence and made a real collaboration [with Maureen].
How has TikTok and the dance community helped dancehall’s global presence?
TikTok is a really, really good thing because I can see the impact. But it’s a really, really bad thing because a lot of people make songs for TikTok. I think that’s a trap. “Money Pull Up” is my biggest hit [so far], and I never expected it to be big on TikTok. If you make songs for TikTok, you’re on the wrong path for hits.
TikTok can also be kind of unfair to dancers because phones do so much of the work, and onstage, they look completely different. I see some of these TikTok dancers, and there is no attitude. The result on the app is crazy, but they move too small for the stage. Even the crowds know when a dancer is there because she’s sexy and beautiful, over the dancers who working and taking lessons every day of the week. TikTok can be a good thing because everybody can be a star or go viral quickly — but you have to be careful of the way TikTok influences how you create.
This is your first album since the Mad Ting trilogy ended. Where did you want to go musically and conceptually after the trilogy?
I started working on Shatta Ting about a year and a half ago. I had a writing camp in Martinique and kept half of the songs we wrote there. It was the first time I recorded songs like that. I really enjoyed creating [in collaboration], and I took some risks on some of those songs – but those aren’t on Shatta Ting because I wanted something easier for people to listen to.
I also feel that it’s time to put the “shatta” name in people’s heads; that’s why there are more proper shatta riddims on this project. There is less risk, but nobody listens to me for slow songs or songs about the world. When people listen to me, they just want to have fun.
Did the writing camp approach change anything else about how you normally make albums?
This was the first time I made a bunch of songs and then chose a few from the pack for the album. I’m not an artist who records a bunch of songs for an album and throws half of them away. I like quality over quantity. I have 8-10 songs from those sessions that I’ve put to the side. The BPM is also a bit higher on Shatta Ting than my other projects, so the tour will be more dynamic.
What else do you have planned this year?
We have a big tour for Shatta Ting, of course. I have another writing camp with Kybba in April, and we’re going to make a joint project. After that, I’ve just re-signed for two other albums. I have a better deal now because I’ve created my own label. Shatta Ting is a co-production with my label, Mad Ting Records, and Creepy Music, which works with X-Ray Productions. Now, I own 50% of my publishing. That kind of thing can happen when you have some strings, and the strings come from songs like “Money Pull Up.” When you have good numbers, then you can negotiate these things.
Companies like Universal and Sony approached me, but nowadays, we don’t really need them. They’re more like a bank. I prefer a small label with money; I really feel better than when I call someone, and a person [at the label] answers. It’s important to feel like we’re working on the same wavelength. We’re not here only for money. Another big thing is that I can do what I want creatively. The label tells me nothing. I have some parts of the deal that I must respect, but I’m free in the creation, so I’m really happy.
Billboard has announced the launch of its first French edition. The new venture is licensed by So Press. Billboard France marks the 12th global edition of Billboard.
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In the Parisian night, an imposing entourage makes its way to the photo studio. About 10 people – assistants, photographers, and collaborators – orbit around a familiar silhouette. The studio door opens to reveal Burna Boy, accompanied by his sister Ronami, an inseparable figure in his success, who combines the roles of manager, stylist and advisor with unwavering conviction. There’s an obvious quality to his charisma – the kind that shifts the energy of a place as soon as the person enters.In recent years, Burna Boy has been particularly prolific, allowing himself few moments of respite. Born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, he comes from a family deeply rooted in music (his grandfather was the manager of legend Fela Kuti).
From promising beginnings in 2012 with the single “Like To Party” to a noteworthy first album, L.I.F.E, released in 2013. However, it was from 2017 that his career took on an international dimension. Mainstream global audiences discovered him during a collaboration with Drake on “More Life” in 2017. He followed with three major albums (Outside, African Giant, and Twice as Tall) while delivering well-chosen features like “Jerusalema” with Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode, and “Be Honest” and “Location” with British artists Jorja Smith and Dave, respectively.
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After filling La Défense Arena and its 40,000 seats in May 2023, the Nigerian artist is preparing to take on a new challenge: the Stade de France, on April 18, 2025, the starting point of a European tour of about 10 dates.
France holds a special place in Burna Boy’s career. It’s the third country where he’s most listened to, behind the United States and the United Kingdom. According to the SNEP (Syndicat national de l’édition phonographique, in English National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing), the has 11 certified singles in France and has already been streamed more than 700 million times there.
“It’s a celebration of African excellence and proof that our music knows no boundaries,” he confides, showing pride in being the first non-French-speaking African artist to perform in the legendary venue. ” It’s not just about me as an artist but about representing a continent, a culture, and a people whose stories deserve to be heard on the biggest stages in the world.”
Figurehead of Nigerian Music
In 2019, he proclaimed himself African Giant. Today, the title seems trivial compared to the scale of his triumph. Burna Boy’s journey illustrates that of an outsider, a meteoric rise from Port Harcourt to the heights of international music. Initially an English-speaking breakthrough that today knows no boundaries.
More than a decade after Burna Boy’s rise with L.I.F.E, Nigerian music has established itself as a major force in global popular culture. Afrobeats, a genre of which he has become the most respected ambassador, transcends geographical, linguistic and cultural boundaries. Vevo even reported that in 2023, views of Afrobeats and Amapiano tracks increased by 61%, exceeding four billion. As reported by IFPI, Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the fastest-growing music industry (the only one exceeding 20% growth in 2023).
Burna Boy’s Grammy Award, which he keeps on a dedicated table at home, also demonstrates a new American appetite for the Nigerian sound. “It’s not just about recognition—it’s what it symbolizes. It represents the power of staying true to yourself, breaking boundaries, and proving that African music belongs on the global stage. It’s a reminder that our culture and art are worthy of the highest honors.”
He returns this new American recognition well by inviting GZA for a feature on the title track of his latest album, I Told Them. On this album, he openly samples great American artists (Toni Braxton, Brandy, Jeremih, among others). “Yes, it’s intentional. Sampling is a way to pay homage to the sounds that shaped me while creating something new. It’s about bridging cultures and showing that music is a universal language. I’ll continue to experiment because growth and creativity go hand in hand.”
Burna Boy
Xiaoyi Dai/Billboard France
The Anglo-Saxon World As a Leitmotif
Having studied in London during high school, then briefly at Oxford Brookes during university, the English scene opened its doors to him first, and he’s always known how to reciprocate. He looks fondly on this ecosystem whose Nigerian roots are also illustrated in music (he mentions J Hus, Dave, NSG, and Not3s). “They’re carrying the torch in their own way. The UK has always had a deep connection with African music, and these artists are blending their experiences with Afrobeats influences to create something unique. It’s a beautiful exchange of cultures, and it shows how far-reaching Afrobeats’ impact is.”
African Music Conquering the World
The resonance of Burna Boy’s music is part of a larger movement. Since 2020, Afrobeat has spread westward thanks to crossover hits like CKay’s “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)” or Rema’s “Calm Down,” which have exceeded a billion streams on Spotify. Nigeria is now the sixth best music-exporting country, and Burna Boy serves as the figurehead of a scene that has definitively conquered the world.
He enthusiastically discusses this new generation of Nigerian artists who are breaking codes. “[They’re] fearless,” he states. “They are experimenting with sounds and taking risks. It’s interesting to see how they’re building on the foundation. They’re proof that Nigerian & indeed African music has no limits.” As the genre gained popularity abroad, more Afrobeats artists began their first U.S. tours after lockdown.
Among all of them, Burna has performed on the biggest stages – where real superstars are born. But this consecration can be frightening too, as Western stars have almost immediately embraced Nigerian sounds. An observation that doesn’t scare Burna Boy: “In 10 years, if we are mindful to keep putting in the work, Afrobeats will be even more global, influencing every corner of the music industry. It will evolve, incorporating new sounds and ideas, but its essence—our African roots—will remain intact. I see it being a dominant force in shaping global pop culture.”
His view isn’t limited to Nigeria. He observes with interest the emergence of French-speaking West African scenes: “[They] are incredibly vibrant and full of talent. Artists from Ivory Coast, Senegal and Mali are creating something powerful by mixing their musical traditions with modern sounds.”We take the opportunity to ask his view on French artists in general. The answer will surprise many: “I’ve always admired artists like Stromae, Matt Pokora, Tayc & Aya to mention a few. Their ability to tell stories and push creative boundaries resonates with me. French music has a unique depth, and it’s influenced how I approach my own storytelling.”
Refocusing on Raw Emotions
“When you’re honest in your music, people feel it, no matter where they’re from.” His extraordinary ability to transform personal experiences into anthems, as exemplified by “Last Last,” born from a romantic breakup, has indeed played a crucial role in Burna Boy’s rise. His tracks are imbued with raw emotions of universal dimensions, explaining his global success.
His next project (perhaps named “No Sign of Weakness” if we believe some cryptic messages sent to his fans before Christmas), promises to explore new horizons and unprecedented spirituality in his music. “It’s extrospective,” he reveals. “It’s not just about me but about looking outward, reflecting on the world, and how my experiences connect to the bigger picture. It’s about growth, understanding, and challenging perceptions while staying true to who I am.”
The Pillars of His Life
He supports organizations like R.E.A.C.Hng that work with disadvantaged communities in Nigeria and created the ProjectPROTECT fund which helps those wrongfully detained in cases of police violence. “I’ve been blessed,” he acknowledges, “and I believe it’s my responsibility to use my platform to uplift others.” Politics permeates Burna Boy’s tracks, particularly through his songs “Wetin Man Go Do” and “Another Story.”
This social consciousness comes with a deep sense of family. His mother Bose and sister Ronami play crucial roles in his career. “They’re my pillar,” he affirms. “They understand me not just as an artist but as a person, and they push me to be the best version of myself. Working with them is natural because we share a bond and a vision that goes beyond business. It also has its headaches as do all relationships but I’m the better for it.”
As his French fans await a historic show at the Stade de France, Burna Boy more than ever embodies an era where African music dictates global trends. But it’s almost carried by an uncontrollable wave that his eighth album arrives, to once again redefine the limits of the genre.
Burna Boy
Xiaoyi Dai/Billboard France
In fall 2023, Deezer announced it was adopting an “artist-centric” royalty model with Universal Music Group (UMG) in an effort to better compensate acts with significant followings and the rightsholders who own their recordings. That move, intended to tackle fraud and reduce royalties flowing to what is essentially noise and “functional music” was intended to rebalance a streaming model that some major players believe needs reform. Other major labels followed, as did Spotify, which made different adjustments to its royalty model toward the same end.
On Wednesday (Jan. 15), Deezer and the French PRO SACEM announced a deal to compensate publishing rightsholders the same way. “We started a year and a half ago with UMG and then the other majors,” said Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier. “And now we’re doing it on the publishing side.”
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SACEM’s interest in this idea goes back to an analysis of the potential effects of artist-centric royalty payouts that the PRO conducted last year. “The first thing I wanted was to remove noise from the revenue, especially at a time when dilution is an issue” said SACEM CEO Cécile Rap-Veber, “The second thing is that it helps prevent fraud.”
While Deezer will not remove any music from its platform as a result of this agreement, the service will either demonetize or essentially allocate less royalties to some tracks, by boosting the royalties earned by others. The change, which will take effect soon, could help labels and services better prepare for the age of AI, when music executives worry that online services will be flooded by unpopular, low-value music that cuts into their business with sheer scale. “With AI coming,” Rap-Veber says, “we’re afraid that human creation might be affected.”
Deezer’s specific plans are more ambitious than what it did on the recording side. Like other artist-centric models, artists get a royalty boost for hitting a measure of popularity — in this case, double royalties for songs that are actively searched out or those by artists with 1,000 streams a month from 500 different subscribers.
More interesting, the service will impose what it calls a “user centric cap” that will limit how much the listening choices of any individual subscriber can affect royalty payouts, which will also make fraud more difficult and less efficient. Also, Deezer will completely exclude from the royalty pool tracks that consist of noise and “functional sounds,” such as rain on a roof; instead, Deezer will recommend similar music that it owns, which will not count for payout purposes and thus not take royalties from other rightsholders. (Some of these tracks might not even be considered copyrighted works under EU law, at least on the publishing side. While recording the sound of rain on a roof might arguably involve creative choices, there is no composer in the sense of copyright law.) Deezer will also remove tracks that have not been streamed in a year.
At European collective management organizations (CMOs), the hits just keep on coming. On Wednesday (June 5), SACEM announced record results for 2023, with collections up 5% to €1.49 billion ($1.6 billion based on the 2023 average euro-to-dollar conversion rate) compared to the previous year and distributions rising 17% to €1.23 billion ($1.33 billion). The French CMO also announced that its board has voted unanimously to extend Cécile Rap-Veber’s term as CEO.
The results come amid a thriving period for European CMOs. In April, GEMA, the German collecting society, announced that revenue rose 8.4% in 2023 to €1.28 billion ($1.4 billion). PRS for Music in the United Kingdom followed at the end of May, disclosing 14.2% revenue growth to £1.08 billion ($1.34 billion). However, in both of those cases, as well as SACEM’s, the results followed years of more substantial growth fueled by music fans eager to get back to seeing live shows in the wake of the pandemic. A year ago, for example, SACEM announced that it had taken in €1.41 billion ($1.54 billion) in 2022 — 34% more than it did the prior year.
Slower growth seems to be bringing with it a focus on controlling costs, and SACEM’s ratio of expenses to revenue collected is 10.76%, the lowest in its history. “What matters to me is the best value for our members,” SACEM CEO Cécile Rap-Veber tells Billboard. She adds that a more efficient disbursement of royalties boosted growth in distributions beyond that of revenue, saying: “We are distributing faster and faster.”
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The biggest source of revenue for SACEM was online, which rose 13% to €557 million ($602.67 million). The second biggest source was general royalties — a category that includes places where music is central, such as concerts, as well as places where it’s not — which was up 18.5% to €388 million ($420 million). Finally, broadcast rights, including TV and radio, brought in €318 million ($344 million).
Over the past few years, Rap-Veber has helped modernize the French CMO with an initiative known as “SACEM 3.0,” with a focus on delivering results at a reasonable cost.
“2023 was a year of confirmation in the implementation of our major strategic priorities,” Rap-Veber said in a statement. “We continued our transformation into Sacem 3.0 and worked to improve efficiency, ensuring the sustainability of our management account and optimising both our collections and the amount distributed to our members.”
More than ever, CMOs are competing for online rights — but also, on some level, for bragging rights. ‘Competition,” says Rap-Veber, “has forced a lot of us to improve.”
Believe founder and CEO Denis Ladegaillerie has formed a consortium with investment funds EQT and TCV as part of a wider effort to acquire full ownership of the French music company and take it private. The triad announced their intentions on Monday (Feb. 12), and the Believe board of directors unanimously voted to welcome the proposal to review.
All told, the bid values Believe’s entire share capital at 1.523 billion euros (USD $1.64 billion) based on 101,547 million shares outstanding.
Before they can take Believe private, Ladegaillerie, EQT and TCV first must acquire shares owned by historical shareholders TCV Luxco BD S.à r.l., XAnge and Ventech, which combined amount to 59.46% of the share capital. After this already agreed-upon transaction, Ladegaillerie would then contribute a portion of his company shares, representing an additional 11.7%, to the bidding conglomerate, as well as sell his remaining portion of 1.29%. An additional 3% has been obtained from other shareholders, bringing this group’s share of the company to roughly 75%.
Once these acquisitions are approved by regulators, the conglomerate would then make a tender offer for all Believe outstanding shares at an offer price of 15 euros per share, representing a 21% premium over the last closing price before the proposed buyout was announced (12.4 euros on Feb. 9). If legal conditions are met at the end of the offer, the company will then request the implementation of a squeeze-out procedure.
Completion of the acquisitions of the blocks of shares is expected to take place during the second quarter of 2024, and the filing of the subsequent tender offer would be sent to the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), which regulates the stock market in France, soon after.
The French digital music company, which owns TuneCore, began trading on the Paris Euronext exchange in June 2021.
Believe’s board has appointed an independent expert, Ledouble, to draw up an opinion on the offer, and assigned three board members to assist with that effort and work up their own recommendations for shareholders and employees.
In prepared comments, Ladegaillerie said Believe has “systematically outperformed its objectives, delivering its IPO plan two years ahead of schedule” but “the strength of its operational performance has not been reflected in the share price evolution.”
He added, “Believe has a significant opportunity ahead to consolidate the independent music market and create the first global major independent, at the service of artists at all stages of their career. In achieving this ambition, I am glad to continue benefiting from the active support of TCV who has accompanied Believe since 2014 and to be partnering with Europe-based EQT who has a great track record in supporting high growth companies.”
Believe has appointed Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG and Gide Loyrette Nouel as financial and legal advisers to assist the company and the three-member committee in their evaluation of the offer.
The French government’s decision to impose a new tax on music streaming platforms will be highly damaging for the country’s music industry and sets a “dangerous precedent” for other markets, warn streaming executives opposing the levy.
France’s National Assembly officially approved the tax charges on Tuesday (Dec. 19) as part of the country’s 2024 finance bill.
It specifies that streaming services such as Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music earning above 20 million euros ($22 million) in annual turnover will have to pay a new tax charge of 1.2% on all streaming revenue generated in France in addition to their existing tax duties. Social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok which license and feature music will also be subject to the tax charges.
The money will be used to help fund a national body to support the French music sector, The Centre National de la Musique (CNM), which was created in 2020 and is already partly financed by the live music industry.
The new levy comes into effect from Jan. 1, although music streaming services are still waiting for confirmation of when the first payment will be due to the French authorities.
‘A REAL BLOW’
Deezer CEO Jeronimo Folgueira says the tax on streaming platforms’ earnings will have “negative consequences for the entire music industry in France.”
“It is the worst possible outcome of all the different scenarios that we could have ended up with,” Folgueira tells Billboard. “Adding taxes is the worst way of trying to support the industry. It sets a very dangerous precedent for other markets.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for Spotify France called the tax “a real blow to innovation, and to the growth prospects of recorded music in France.”
The company said it is “assessing the implications of such a tax” and “strongly remain opposed to this unfair, unjust and disproportionate measure.”
On Wednesday (Dec. 20), Spotify France announced that it was pulling financial support for two local music festivals, the Francofolies de la Rochelle and the Printemps de Bourges, to help offset the extra tax burden.
Plans to tax music streaming platforms’ earnings in France have long been mooted by authorities and were first proposed in April by then-senator Julien Bargeton, who initially suggested a tax rate of 1.75% for services like Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube Music to support the French music industry.
In response, streaming executives and stakeholders from across the country’s music industry put forward a number of alternative funding solutions, including making a voluntary annual contribution of 14 million euros ($15 million) towards The Centre National de la Musique.
Executives closely involved in those talks tell Billboard that the voluntary contribution proposal — which involved the participation of collecting societies and music producers and was tiered depending on a company’s business and turnover — received “near unanimous” backing from across the sector, apart from Amazon, which refused to commit. (Amazon Music, Apple Music and YouTube Music all declined or didn’t respond to requests to comment when contacted by Billboard).
With the music industry unable to agree on an alternative offer, the French Senate voted in November to approve the new tax measures, which were formally ratified earlier this week.
TAX BURDEN
President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to tax music streaming companies to fund cultural programs follows the same principles the country already applies to the film industry. For many decades, the French government has imposed a tax levy on cinema ticket sales (currently amounting to 10.7% of the ticket price) to fund public body The French National Centre of Cinema (CNC).
Since 2010, publishers and distributors of television services, including streaming platforms like Netflix and ad-funded videos platforms such as YouTube, as well as DVD and Blu-Ray retailers, have paid a similar mandatory contribution set at 5.15% of turnover.
Like its cinema counterpart, funding for The Centre National de la Musique will come from across the French music industry, but executives at Spotify and Deezer believe it places an unfair burden on streaming companies who already pay out around 70% of their revenues to rights holders alongside their existing tax commitments in France. They include sales tax (VAT) at 20% and a 3% tax on digital services.
At present, the French live music industry pays a higher rate of tax contribution (3.5% on concert tickets) towards the CNM, but ticketing companies pay a lower rate of VAT sales tax (around 5%) compared to digital music platforms.
Physical music retailers, recording studios, radio services and labels are exempt from paying the new 1.2% levy.
“We’re not questioning the need to finance The Centre National de la Musique or be taxed. What we’re questioning is the decision to only target one distribution format – DSPs,” says one France-based music executive, speaking to Billboard anonymously.
Folgueira says the tax unfairly impacts on European streaming platforms like Deezer and Spotify, which have heavily invested in developing the local market, and disproportionately advantages American tech giants like Google, Apple and Amazon who have a smaller on-the-ground presence and “can easily absorb the costs.”
Paris-based Deezer is the market leading subscription streaming service in France and generates around 60% of its 451 million euros ($478 million) yearly revenue in the country. A tax rate of 1.2% on domestic turnover works out at around 3.2 million euros ($3.5 million), according to Billboard’s calculations.
CUTS COMING?
Folgueira says the new tax burden could possibly mean that Deezer is forced to pass on the extra costs “along the value chain,” which could include reviewing agreements with labels and rights holders.
The CEO says that it’s likely to mean Deezer cutting spend on domestic music projects and marketing, while price rises for subscribers is another possible outcome. “None of which is a good outcome for boosting the French market,” cautions Folgueira.
France is the world’s sixth largest recorded music market with €920 million in revenue in 2022, up 6.4% on the previous year, according to IFPI’s Global Music Report.
Folgueira’s concerns are shared by executives at Spotify. Speaking last week to local news network France Info, Antoine Monin, director general of Spotify France said that the company will reduce its investment in the market as a result of the taxes and said “France will no longer be a priority for Spotify.”
Billboard understands that Spotify France will be making further cost saving announcements in the coming weeks with subscription price rises among the options on the table.
Confirmation of a new tax charge for streaming companies in France comes at a pivotal time for Spotify, which posted an operating profit of 32 million euros ($35 million) in the third quarter of 2023 but has also undergone three rounds of job cuts this year.
Earlier this month, Spotify co-founder and chief executive Daniel Ek announced that the company was to close more than 1,500 posts internationally, representing around 17% of its global workforce.
“For many months now, we have been denouncing the risks underlying the creation of such a tax, particularly in terms of the loss of attractiveness for platform investments in France,” says Alexandre Lasch, managing director of French labels body SNEP. “It is precisely the artists produced in France who will be the victims.”
Despite streaming companies’ opposition to the levy, other sectors of France’s music business have welcomed the increased funding towards domestic culture.
Guilhem Cottet, managing director of the French association of independent music companies UPFI, says the establishment of a mandatory contribution to the CNM from streaming companies will help drive diversity and innovation in the sector.
“The current remuneration model is unjust towards a lot of musical genres which are not heavily listened to by young people — mostly rap and electronica — in France. And if there’s no decent remuneration, labels will cease producing these genres,” says Cottet.
“The tax is a regulation tool to ensure the CNM is able to finance them and make sure diversity prevails.”
The Warner Music Group has signed on to Deezer’s new royalty payment structure in France, which was developed in partnership with Universal Music Group and announced in September, the president of the major label’s French operations confirmed today (Nov. 13). The move, which was first confirmed in a story with French outlet Les Echos, has been in place since Oct. 1, and only covers streams in France, where Deezer is based.
In September, Deezer and UMG announced their new model, which they referred to as an “artist-centric” royalty model aimed at combatting fraud, reducing the royalty pool for so-called “non-artist noise” like white noise and nature sounds, and boosting payouts for what the companies referred to as “professional artists,” or artists who were accumulating 1,000 streams per month from 500 unique listeners. The model replaces the existing pro-rata model, in which rights holders were paid by share of streams, regardless of their stature or content, which is still in place globally.
“We are delighted to partner with Deezer on this artist-centric model which rewards engaging music and demonetizes non-artist noise,” Warner Music France president Alain Veille told the outlet. “Our new deal will benefit creative talent at all stages of their careers and support our ability to invest in the next generation.”
In opting in to Deezer’s new structure, WMG joins UMG and a handful of small indies, while the third major, Sony Music, has so far not signed on. The move comes amid a year’s worth of conversation in the music industry about how to tweak the streaming royalty structure as the amount of tracks being uploaded each day to major services surpasses 100,000, and fraud on services is becoming an increasingly big topic. Universal also announced a royalty review with SoundCloud and TIDAL, while Spotify released its own tweaked model, which has far lower thresholds for artists than Deezer’s and is more narrowly aimed at fraud, rather than at determining the level of streams that constitutes an artist’s professional status.
When Deezer and UMG first announced the new model, it was met with pushback from several corners of the music business, particularly the indie sector, which was concerned about those seemingly-arbitrary levels to qualify as a “professional” and about the one-label study that led to its adoption. And while there is broad consensus in the industry that the model needs to change — including public statements from UMG chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge and WMG CEO Robert Kyncl — there is not universal agreement in how to do so, and there is a possibility that each digital service provider could adopt its own model moving forward.
In initially announcing the model in September, Deezer CEO Jeronimo Folgueira told Billboard that he expected more rights holders than UMG to sign on, and planned on rolling out the new structure globally in the coming year. For now, the model is limited to France.