How To Create A Global Music Policy - Part 1
This can make places better. Let's set the stage.
In my book, the epilogue tells the story of a day in the life of a musician in 2028 if she lived in a world where every city, country and place invested in music. It was the most enjoyable bit of the book to write because I was able to envision what life would be like if music - in all its forms and functions - were supported economically, socially and culturally. For example, in all cities around the world, music played an active role in meeting our climate and global development targets. Or music education was, as is being implemented in Saudi Arabia right now, universal.
Nothing I wrote is farfetched.
For example, this artist would have access to a wide variety of spaces and places in her city - because the value that music and culture delivered to real assets was quantified and understood. Every time she performed, she was automatically remunerated through a digital wallet. Every time her music was aired or used, it triggered a payment based on the rights she owned. She had a music officer in her city to speak to. Her government had a Minister for Music who was accountable to the sector. She was able to access finance to further a business plan she developed. Music was, in essence, part of governance. Processes existed, and there was accountability across the music and wider cultural ecosystem.
In 2023, all of this is technically possible. What is lacking is policy, a willingness to adapt and a collective mindset to see music for what it is - a powerful tool to address the challenges we face. Writing the epilogue got me thinking: What if today, I was ordered to write the policy to deliver the results the epilogue outlined? This is what the next few posts will be about.
First, some scene-setting. There are global music declarations, missions and frameworks around the world. There’s a global day for music (June 21). The UN celebrates jazz (April 30) and other genres. But celebrating something and writing a comprehensive policy to develop, grow, sustain and manage it is different.
Moreover, listening trends are supporting an argument that such a policy - if created - could significantly support global sustainable development. We are listening to more local music, which is leading to what economists call glocalization - where local artists’ share of local listeners is increasing. In a paper for LSE authored by
and about streaming, they argue for 2022:“Many of the top ten acts in Germany were German, many in Italy were Italian and all the top ten songs in Spain were in Spanish, although the vast majority were Latin American. These observations prompted us to ask a pertinent question: has the ubiquity of streaming increased or decreased the threat of homogenisation?”
The report continues to state that there is evidence of “a growing marketplace where power has been devolved from global record labels and streaming platforms to their local offices and from old linear broadcast models to new models of streaming which empower consumers with choice.”
Moreover, this argument that local folks care more about local music meshes a host of global policy initiatives. For example, UNESCO’s 2005 Secretariat commits all signatory countries - over 150 of them - to pass policies to protect the diversity of cultural expression. This was expanded last year to affirm culture as a global public good at the Mondiacult Conference in Mexico and is supported by the International Music Council’s - which is part of UNESCO - 5 music rights:
To summarise:
Most nations lack comprehensive music policies - this means defining how music is integrated into education, the economy, social development, infrastructure, resilience, and other policies.
Yet, 3/4 of nations - 150 of them - have affirmed culture as a global public good. Music is included and this.
And we locals are listeners to more local music in an era where most music ever made - everywhere - is available online.
Therefore, it could be argued that to safeguard music as a global public good and wider the pool of local artists making music (increasing the public good and providing more market choice), music should be incorporated more into the decisions taken to grow economies, address challenges and support development.
However, in most places, this isn’t the case. Music education is not universal. Music as a business is not globally recognised as a business. Respecting copyright is not transversal. Music (and wider cultural) infrastructure is not considered critical.
Music is clearly something that we should care about and invest in. But do we? The purpose of investing in music - whether to develop an industry, foster cognitive development, or fight climate change - is not wholly understood. At the same time, How music as a business works and how musicians and rights holders get paid is not universal. It is a scandal that many of the 150+ countries that signed the Mondiacult Declaration lack a structure to transparently administer copyright. It is music-washing, not music investment.
Saying all that, there is no better time to do this. Music has never been more important. I have written before that the pandemic is one of the best case studies we’ll ever have that demonstrates why music matters. We can and should seize this opportunity. So in the next few posts, I will break down - point by point - different sections of what I think a global music policy can and should be - what it should state, how it can interact at all levels of government and what goals we can ascribe to it.
This is because I believe if we write something in a global declaration, it should be deliverable. For example, here is Point 11 of the Mondiacult declaration
“We advocate for a systemic anchoring of culture in public policies, through the adaptation of development strategies and frameworks, at the international, regional, sub-regional, national and local levels, as well as within policies of other relevant UN funds and programmes, as an enabler and driver of resilience, social inclusion and economic growth from education, employment – especially for women and youth – health and emotional well- being to poverty reduction, gender equality, environmental sustainability, tourism, trade and transport, while also sustaining context-relevant models of economic and social development;”
Now, is music delivering this right now? I am not so sure. Can it? of course. Join me on this journey. Please do subscribe and please do consider a paid subscription, which will allow me to focus more time on this, as well as continue to support the nonprofit Center for Music Ecosystems.
Continuing my ongoing celebration of amazing people, here is the next Agent of Change, Tamsin Embleton.
Who? Tamsin is a former concert promoter (who I worked with booking shows for Canadian artists) turned psychotherapist who has written the incredible guide, Touring and Mental Health: The Music Industry Manual.
What Is She Doing? Tamsin has been an incredible force in addressing and highlighting the mental health challenges that those who work in music face. Her research and practice have helped demystify and normalise these issues and the book is a must-read for those who wish to pursue a career in music without it having a negative impact on one’s mental health.
Why Should We Care? We cannot make places better through music and culture if those working in them aren’t taking care of their mental health. Tamsin’s work and tireless highlighting of these issues is an inspiration, and something everyone should be aware of.
If you want to learn more….here is her LinkedIn.
