Download Teacher Guidance on the Music Industry

GCSE
Teacher Guidance
on the Music Industry
Music
IMPORTANT: These notes are intended for use by teachers
not students. This is not new specification content that needs
to be covered or will be assessed, but rather, should provide a
background and context which teachers may draw upon at their
discretion.
January 2011
GCSE MUSIC
TEACHER GUIDANCE
on the MUSIC INDUSTRY
IMPORTANT: These notes are intended for use by teachers not students. This is not
new specification content that needs to be covered or will be assessed, but rather, should
provide a background and context which teachers may draw upon at their discretion.
Context
The Specification indicates within Part 1 of the Listening and Appraising component, “…one
question is linked to the impact of the music industry on work and leisure…”
(Specification 7.1, page 25).
Factors influencing the nature of this question include:
that it is ONE question of a possible SIX within a listening and appraising paper which
(in total) lasts approximately 45 minutes. The question therefore will be time bound
and will not require more time to complete than others in the paper (which require
candidates to listen and appraise repeated extracts);
that Q6 in the Specimen Assessment Materials outlines a sample question which
requires short answers, sentence-length answers, some expressing personal preference.
It is envisaged that this model of answer will continue to be expected in the music
industry question;
The Specification indicates that the Quality of Written Communication is assessed
through Assessment Objective 3 in the Listening and Appraising tests. The Music
industry question will not require extended writing and consequently will not be part
of the Quality of Written Communication assessment;
The Specification indicates that appraisal of the Areas of Study should focus on:
-
how the employment status of the composer has changed - from patronage to
independence;
how pop and/or rock and/or modern artists operate, compose, arrange their own
material, set up gigs and use different types of music technology to bring their
music to a wider audience; and
the impact of the music industry on life, work, leisure and recreation.
This supplementary guidance material will give some detail on these broad areas.
In the Specimen Assessment Materials, Q6 is prefaced by a ‘stimulus’, in this instance,
a short piece of text. It is not a requirement of the specification that up-to-date facts
and figures, trends and statistical analyses are learnt by candidates. It is important that
candidates should be able to respond to stimuli involving the modern music business,
so much of which they are experiencing in their day to day lives. It is envisaged that
similar stimuli would form part of this question in future papers.
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The guidance material which follows is divided into the following sections:
SECTION 1
SECTION 2
SECTION 3
SECTION 4
SECTION 5
Trends and Statistics within the Music Industry
UK and Ireland Record Companies
UK and Ireland Music Publishing Companies
Artist Management
Live Performance
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SECTION 1:
TRENDS and STATISTICS within the MUSIC
INDUSTRY
Introduction
The creative and cultural industries are complicated. It is extremely difficult to analyse a sector
that covers so many professions – from theatre directors and artists to music publishers. There
are several main areas of the music industry where statistics are recorded and from which
conclusions can be drawn as to future trends. These are:
UK & IRELAND RECORD COMPANIES
UK & IRELAND PUBLISHING COMPANIES
ARTIST MANAGEMENT
UK & IRELAND LIVE PERFORMANCE
UK & IRELAND LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION
The creative and cultural landscape in Northern Ireland
The creative and cultural industries have experienced rapid growth throughout the UK and
Ireland over the last decade, focusing both governments’ attention on creative industries in
terms of policy development and action. Additionally the role of creativity and innovation in
business and the economy has been under the spotlight.
The most recent information from Creative and Cultural Skills (Sector Skills Council for Craft,
Cultural Heritage, Design, Literature, Music, Performing and Visual Arts) highlight that:
Northern Ireland has a creative workforce of 11,640 which is 1% of the UK creative &
cultural workforce;
creative businesses contribute £245 million to the UK economy;
by 2017, industry growth of 4,000 jobs is expected;
three quarters of the jobs will require higher skills; and
The Northern Ireland Assembly has set a target to grow the Creative Industries to 15%
by 2011, which is supported by a Creative Industries Innovation Fund of £5m which
was launched in October 2008, to assist in the development of creative industry
businesses.
In the context of Education and Training:
Northern Ireland has 2% of the UK Further and Higher Education provision; and
29% of the businesses in Northern Ireland had difficulties with recruitment and 23%
had skills gaps. (© CCS 2010)
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Possible question focus areas
It is important to note that questions which may be based on statistical trends WILL
NOT require detailed prior knowledge of facts, figures, or complex interpretation of
graphs or charts. Some of these may, however, act as a stimulus from which candidates
may be asked to draw conclusions. They may also be asked for their personal comment
on evidence presented to them.
UK & Ireland Album Sales
UK & Ireland Retail Sales (albums, printed music, listening devices)
UK & Ireland Digital Sales (including by music type)
UK & Ireland Employment within the Music Industry
Additional Support
The following links will give additional support information:
British Recorded Music Industry
www.bpi.co.uk
National Guidance Research Forum
www.guidance-research.org/future-trends
Creative & Cultural Skills
www.ccskills.org.uk
Creative Choices (Career Development)
www.creative-choices.co.uk/jobs
Irish Recorded Music Association
www.irma.ie
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SECTION 2:
UK & IRELAND RECORD COMPANIES
(and associated businesses and personnel)
Introduction
The principal functions of a record company or record label are:
to find artists/acts;
sign these artists/acts to their label;
find appropriate material to be performed;
make professional recordings;
promote the product (records) & the performers; and
bulk release the product to retail outlets or digital services.
The business undertaken by record companies can be broadly split into three main areas:
Administration, the Product and Promotion.
The Administration part of the company, headed up by the Managing director or Chief
Executive Officer will have a team of business affairs, legal, financial and human resources
staff responsible for the efficient operation of the business. There will be professional
relationships with organisations including BPI (The British Recorded Music Industry), PRS for
Music (alliance of The Performing Rights Society and the Mechanical Copyright Protection
Society), the music licensing company PPL and a wide variety of media organisations.
Record companies are the main investors in, and developers of, musical talent in the United
Kingdom, Ireland and globally. Almost a quarter of label revenue is reinvested back into the
signing and developing of new talent through their A&R (Artists and Repertoire) departments.
By giving financial advances and marketing and sales support, record labels enable artists to
treat music making as a full-time career. A large part of their finances is targeted at the
commercial promotion of the artists’ recordings and collecting and paying the resulting
royalties on their behalf. Many other organisations have vital links with the product
development work of recording companies including manufacturing (pressing plant),
distribution companies, digital service providers (DSP), direct to consumer services (D2C),
retail outlets and professional groups which look after their interests. Record companies often
underwrite new acts’ touring costs to help raise their profile and sales. On top of
manufacturing and distributing the recordings (to both physical and digital retailers), record
labels provide an essential promotional and marketing role. This includes developing and
executing advertising and marketing campaigns as well as promoting and ‘plugging’ the acts to
media.
Labels can also seek out other ways for the recordings to reach wider audiences, such as being
used in movies and advertising, and license rights to global parties. In recent years, a number
of labels have moved beyond the acquisition and exploitation of the rights associated with
sound recordings to take an interest in artists’ other sources of income, such as live
performance, songwriting and merchandise.
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Record companies traditionally employ and pay for a wide range of musical professionals
including sound engineers, session musicians, record producers and studio technicians to
record and mix albums. This brings them into professional arrangements with organisations
including digital music services, The Musicians Union, Session Musicians organisations,
Association of Professional Recording Services and an extensive number of television, radio,
press, broadcast and public performance organisations.
Additional Support
The following links will give additional support information:
British Recorded Music Industry
www.bpi.co.uk
Phonographic Performance Ltd
www.ppluk.com
PRS for Music
www.prsformusic.com
Musicians Union
www.musiciansunion.org.uk
Irish Recorded Music Association
www.irma.ie
Association of Professional recording Services
www.aprs.co.uk
Music Education Directory Site Map
(Record Company)
www.bpi-med.co.uk/map1.asp
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SECTION 3:
UK & IRELAND MUSIC PUBLISHING
COMPANIES
(and associated businesses and personnel)
Introduction
The principal functions of a publishing company are:
to find and invest in songwriters and composers;
develop and support songwriters and composers;
manage the rights in music published by songwriters and composers;
enable the music to reach the greatest number of audiences; and
ensure writers and composers receive remuneration for their work.
These are achieved in a variety of ways:
encouraging record companies to record and release material;
licensing works for synchronisation (agreeing use of music in films, adverts,
etc.,); and
licensing works for print (sheet music).
The work of the Music Publishing company requires a wide range of skilled staff working in
operations including administering rights, production and editorial work, sales and marketing,
hire and distribution, human resources, A & R (Artists and Repertoire), accounts and royalties
administration. The large numbers of staff involved are represented by organisations such as
the Music Publishers Association and PRS for Music.
Central to their work, is the songwriter, composer and/or lyricist whose interests are served by
organisations such as BASCA (British Academy of Songwriters Composers and Authors) or
the Association of Irish Composers. Lobbying to legislators in the UK, Ireland and wider
European Market and to the public in general is handled by organisations like UK music, an
umbrella organisation representing the collective interests of the UK's commercial music
industry.
Immense technological change has ensured that the work of the Music Publishing company
has grown, now requiring even stronger association with broadcasters, performance venues
(live and non-live venues e.g. shops, cinemas), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Computer
Games manufacturers, Jukebox operators, Musical novelty producers, Music Service providers,
sheet music providers and retailers, digital sheet music providers, video, record, film, TV,
advertising and DVD companies.
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Additional Support
The following links will give additional support information:
British Academy of Songwriters Composers and Authors
www.basca.org.uk
Music Publishers Association of Ireland
www.mpaiireland.com
Music Publishers Association
www.mpaonline.org.uk
PRS for Music
www.prsformusic.com
UK Music
www.ukmusic.org
Music Education Directory Site Map
(Music Publishing Company)
www.bpi-med.co.uk/map2.asp
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SECTION 4:
ARTIST MANAGEMENT
(and associated businesses and personnel)
Introduction
Artist Management comprises four main areas of the music business:
recorded performance;
live performance;
publishing; and
other business interests.
Central areas of Artist Management within the Recorded Music industry have been discussed
earlier in this document. In summary, these include the A & R departments, business affairs
(including Legal), Business Development (including the increasing digital market), finance,
marketing, sales and distribution, press, promotion, creative and video technologies, digital
operations and liaisons with record producers and recording studios.
Live performance has increased in popularity from the late 20th century and now is a highly
popular and lucrative business. The artists’ agent and promoters are the key individuals who
control management issues concerning live performance. They will be responsible for
organising:
venue management;
stage management including working with the promoter;
sound (PA) and lights;
crew technicians (technical teams, ‘roadies’ etc.,);
security and door staff;
artist and crew catering; and
merchandising.
The roles vital to artist management in the realm of music publishing have also been outlined
earlier in this document, namely: A & R; business affairs and legal; Accounts and Royalty
administration; rights administration; production and editorial; sales and marketing; and hire
and distribution.
The management of the artist or act will also be working under conditions regulated by
organisations such as Musicians Union or the Irish Musicians Union. The Music Managers
Forum is the umbrella organisation looking after the interests of managers of artists/acts.
The increase in digital media has ensured the role of artist management in the development of
other areas of music business. The huge rise of the web technologies has meant a much more
significant role in artist management within the media. Central to this is management
associated with website designers and those responsible for ensuring control of territories
outside of the UK and Ireland.
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Additional Support
The following links will give additional support information:
Music Manager’s Forum
www.themmf.net
Phonographic Performance Ltd
www.ppluk.com
Musicians Union
www.musiciansunion.org.uk
Musicians Union of Ireland
www.siptu.ie
Music Education Directory Site Map
(Artist Management)
www.bpi-med.co.uk/map3.asp
Media & Entertainment Union
www.bectu.org.uk
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SECTION 5:
LIVE PERFORMANCE
(and associated businesses and personnel)
Introduction
Live Performance comprises three main areas of the music business:
venue management;
co-ordination; and
promotion.
The management of live performance has already been discussed in Section 4. In summary the
important ingredients to ensure a good live performance are:
selection and management of the venue;
liaison with the stage manager and the promoter’s representative;
sound (PA) and lights;
crew and technicians;
artist and crew catering;
co-ordination of emergency services;
co-ordination of security and door staff;
merchandising; and
catering arrangements for the public.
The personnel responsible for ensuring the above are:
the artist’s manager (Management Team);
the tour manager;
the artist’s agent;
sponsors; and
promoters (also responsible for Health and Safety).
Promotion of live performance will involve co-ordination of the following areas:
ticket design, print and distribution;
poster and flyer design, print and distribution;
advertising, journalism and promotion activities via media; and
web design and advertising.
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Additional Support
The following links will give additional support information:
British Recorded Music Industry
www.bpi.co.uk
Music Manager’s Forum
www.themmf.net
Music Education Directory Site Map
(Live performance)
www.bpi-med.co.uk/map4.asp
PRS for Music
www.prsformusic.com
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