A coalition of some of the world's biggest independent record labels, including Beggars Group, Partisan Records, Sub Pop and Why Music, have joined forces to create a 'first-of-its-kind' think tank to promote a better understanding of the global music business among governments and policy makers — and advocate on behalf of the industry.
The Organization for Recorded Culture and the Arts, or ORCA for short, will develop and promote research, data and “qualitative and quantitative evidence that underscores the significant economic, social and cultural value of music,” the newly formed organization said.
Founding members also include UK's Domino Recording Company. Germany-based City Slang and !K7 Music. Spain's Everlasting Records; and US-based Exceleration Music, Secretly Group and Hopeless Records. Other participants include London-based Ninja Tune, Stockholm's Playground Music and Canada's Secret City Records.
Artists either discovered or signed to the 14 founding labels include Adele, Nirvana, The National, Pavement, Christine and the Queens, Fontaines DC, Arctic Monkeys, Mitski and Phoebe Bridgers.
“This is an ongoing concept, arising from the realization of shared values above and beyond our existing collective independent activities,” he said. Martin Mills, founder and chairman of Beggars Group, in a statement. “Music is an undervalued asset in the everyday cycle and we seek to translate the motivation behind its production into an appreciation that art and commerce can live as one.”
To coincide with the organisation's launch, ORCA published its inaugural research report, 'Setting the Stage: How Music Works'. The open access study is intended to provide government policy makers, financial institutions and cultural development agencies with an in-depth understanding of how the record industry works and the economic and cultural benefits it brings.
The 155-page report was researched by the non-profit Center for Music Ecosystems, which works alongside ORCA, and features case-by-case success stories of indie artists including Guadalupe Plata (Everlasting Records), Patrick Watson (Secret City) and Christine . and the Queens (Because), as well as an analysis of distribution practices, artist development and revenue streams in the indie sector.
“We are proud of the artists we choose to invest in and the people we choose to work with. We also know how little real data is out there that shows how this industry really works or our contribution to it. We are incredibly excited to get this ball rolling with this first report.” Tony Kiewelsays the president of Sub Pop Records Advertising sign.
ORCA says future reports will focus on collecting primary data to demonstrate the benefits of independent labels to the wider global music economy, looking at the positive impact the industry has on job creation, social equity, sustainability and culture. Members will meet at least once a month, with the next report expected later in the year.
“While we are in competition with the other ORCA founders, we are similar in what drives us to find and develop new talent and there is a shared motivation to ensure that the benefits of our work are understood beyond ourselves industry,” he says. Zena WhiteChief Operating Officer of Partisan Records and President of The Worldwide Independent Network (WIN).
White says one of ORCA's primary goals will be to measure the economic and social impact of label investments in artist development, something she says is “severely lacking” in the global independent sector.
The think tank also aims to address some commonly held misconceptions about how the label's business model works, explains White, whose label roster includes IDLES, Cigarettes After Sex, Ezra Collective and PJ Harvey.
“Labels at their best take living, recording and marketing advances that will benefit the entire artist ecosystem. Of course, there are bad actors, but many are necessary to ensure that music is made and heard,” he says.
“We have a fantastic network of global trade associations for independent music… [but] they really need empirical data to support their conversations with governments and players at the local level,” adds White. “ORCA is complementary to that network and hopes to be able to help.”
“The music industry is an incredibly complicated and messy industry,” says Kiewel. “We are often the canaries in the coal mine when it comes to new technologies. If policy discussions are taking place that affect the livelihoods of independent recording artists and the labels that support them, then we think it's important that they have a seat at that table. I think there are a lot of people and policy makers who will be interested in what we have to say, and we want to make sure that those who represent our community have tools to help convey their perspectives.”
