The BPI – the representative voice of independent and major record labels across the UK – celebrated another successful year for its members with events in 2022.  It hosted over 80 international and regional UK events both in-person and virtually over the past 12 months.  The vast majority (95%) of these were free to BPI members, with many also open to non-members and those in the wider industry.

2022 saw the return of in-person International Trade Missions following two-years of webinar replacements due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Across 2022, the BPI organised four major overseas events in Germany and India, and in the USA in Los Angeles (LA Sync) and Austin, Texas (SXSW) for over 600 UK delegates – enabling them to network and gain detailed insights into key markets in the global music industry.

The BPI also embraced the accessibility of virtual webinars by hosting 40 online Member Training Courses for just shy of 2,000 attendees, covering a wide range of topics including social media optimisation, music licensing, contracts and building a fanbase with the support of MusicAlly, CMU, Russells and Saffrey Champness.  Additionally, four hybrid Independent Member Meetings saw guest speakers from BBC, Spotify, and Amazon Music present to the independent community of BPI members. 

Hybrid-style Insight Sessions, in partnership with Bowers & Wilkins, were introduced in 2022 where attendees could join either in-person or virtually to hear from experts on the intersection of music and technology. Three events were held for over 200 attendees in total, covering the contemporary topics of UK Rap, Shortform Video and Immersive Audio online and at London’s iconic Metropolis Studios.

Providing the latest information and best practices for equity and inclusion, the BPI staged three DE&I Training Sessions for its members and the wider music industry, covering topics of How To Be An Ally, Speaking Up At Work and Guidance on DE&I Plans for 2023.  These were typically held in association with the BPI’s Equity & Justice Advisory Group (EJAG), who meet monthly, and are curated by members such as Arit Eminue MBE of DiVA.

Held under the National Album Day banner and alongside Record Store Day and the Official Charts Company, The Record Club in association with Bowers & Wilkins continued to welcome fans of artist albums. The 2022 series presented by Jess Iszatt was viewed over 90,000 times and featured 22 virtual interviews with amazing guest artists ranging from icons Blondie and James Bay to Sigrid and Olly Murs.

Sophie Jones, Chief Strategy Officer and Interim Chief Executive BPI, said:

“The BPI undertakes and supports a vast range of activities aimed at promoting British music in all its forms, and we never lose sight of the fact that first and foremost we are a membership organisation.  Day in, day out we work to support the needs of over 500 independent and major record labels and music companies, helping them gain valuable insights into the market and navigate emerging trends. This extensive range of activity – in person, virtual and hybrid, adding up to hundreds of hours and thousands of attendees – is a massively important part of what we do.

“I’m grateful to all the attendees and contributors for their interest and time; to our various partners for their valued support; and, not least, to all the BPI teams and colleagues, especially Chris Tams and Eshan Gopal, Laura Bower, Leon Neville and Amalie Briden and our COO MJ Olaore among them, for their huge amount of organisational work and personal commitment. These events make a real difference, and then also provide a great foundation for this, our 50th anniversary year, when we are looking to create some special moments in our 2023 events schedule.”