Music industry numbers - the week in stats

CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the increase in US record revenues, the cost of ‘Boris’ Johnson’s ‘Operation Moonshot’, the boost in users of Fender’s guitar tuition app, the settlement reached in the legal battle between Sony Music and the estate of 1950s pop star Ricky Nelson, and the festivals people have most been pining for on Spotify. SECTION TIMES 01: RIAA figures (00:06:32) 02: Operation Moonshot (00:15:50) 03: Fender sale boom (00:22:48) 04: Ricky Nelson (00:26:50) 05: Spotify festival playlists (00:31:05) STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK • RIAA stats show record industry mainly COVID immune thanks to streaming • UK government’s Operation Moonshot could get full-capacity gigs back up and running – but experts question how realistic the plans really are • Everyone is playing guitar now • Sony Music settles dispute over deductions on foreign streaming royalties  ALSO MENTIONED • Hipgnosis buys independent publisher Big Deal  MORE FROM CMU • Book your place on CMU’s Autumn Webinars • Buy the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar on Amazon • Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin