A significant new initiative to accelerate the development of the UK’s legal digital music market was today unveiled by the BPI.
The BPI Innovation Panel offers support to both new and established digital music service operators. It will share consumer research, help to identify and value unfulfilled market opportunities, and provide a unified forum for dialogue with labels on service design and market strategies.
The initiative is underpinned by support from senior executives from UK major and independent record labels working across marketing, digital operations and consumer insight.
Geoff Taylor, BPI Chief Executive, said, “I am determined that the BPI should do everything it can to help digital services reach their potential and provide the most compelling experience possible for music fans.
“With this in mind, the BPI Innovation Panel has been created to offer new and existing digital music operators and record labels a forum where they can share consumer insight and drive innovation to meet the different aspirations and needs of every kind of music consumer."
A number of existing digital service operators are already in discussion with the Panel, including Tesco. Rob Salter, Director of Entertainment at Tesco added, “Tesco is delighted to be working with the BPI on digital service innovation. We all know that digital music is the future but getting there requires a clear shared vision of what consumers want.
“Today, that includes currently owning music in a variety of formats, finding digital music easy to buy and move around a family's various household devices. Tesco has a clear vision of such a service and we want to work with the industry to secure its development and success.”
The UK digital music market was worth more than £280m in 2009, with consumers now able to obtain music legally from almost 70 services – more than in any other country.
Digital innovation by record companies and services alike has powered the UK singles market to a record high of 149m single tracks sold in 2009. Growing consumer confidence in digital formats is now being reflected in album sales, in which digital now takes a 20% overall share.
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
For further information on BPI, please contact
Adam Liversage on 020 7803 1326 / 0780 1179032 or email adam.liversage@bpi.co.uk.
Lynne McDowell on 020 7803 1395 / 0776 3619709 or email lynne.mcdowell@bpi.co.uk.
About BPI
The BPI is the representative voice of the UK recorded music business. We are a trade organisation funded by our members - which include hundreds of independent music companies and the UK’s four major record labels. The BPI’s members account for approximately 90% of all recorded music sold in the UK, and globally the UK's recorded music market is the third biggest.
The BPI also organises the annual BRIT Awards show as well as the Classical BRIT Awards show. The organising company BRIT Awards Limited, is a fully owned subsidiary of the BPI. Substantial proceeds from both shows go to the BRIT Trust, the charitable arm of the BPI that has donated almost £15m to charitable causes nationwide, since its foundation in 1989.