Overheard At Davos

There was a panel on music policy at Davos. If I was on it, here's what I would say

At Davos, Global Citizen organized a panel debating ‘how music can connect the world and serve a greater good.’ Panelists included a senior executive from the charity, one from Warner Music Group, and the head of the Museum for the United Nations. The fact that there is a panel at Davos asking this question is terrific and even better there are both music industry and non-music industry representatives on it shows that at the highest political level, there is a dialogue emerging that places music at the heart of helping address global problems. 

Photo by Jacob Bentzinger on Unsplash

I was not at Davos. But if I was, lucky enough to be invited to speak on such a panel, here’s what I would say. 

• It is encouraging that more countries around the world have approached music strategically as of late. I’ve written about this. The Philippines, Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, Belize and Pakistan, for example, each took steps to recognize the role that music plays in their national political framework in 2023 alone. 

• Our biggest opportunity to ‘connect the world’ is not solely through artist exchanges and benefit concerts, but through policy and regulation. In the aforementioned countries, there are hundreds of thousands of musicians. Some of them are interested in pursuing music professionally. For them to do that, the vast majority would either have to leave or musically migrate, registering their intellectual property in a third country, because the frameworks to ensure they are paid do not exist or don’t function as they should. We need to prioritize local regulatory improvements everywhere that recognize music as an economy, so music can generate income, let alone foster a greater good.  

• None of this is difficult, in theory. The systems exist. Everything is trackable. It’s our mindset, our will, our understanding of how things work and a simple premise that music, in most places, is not taken seriously as an economy that needs to be overcome. That’s a way of thinking, and it can change. 

• Start with policy, then link it to other objectives, such as the SDGs, gender equality, literacy, improving health outcomes, or fighting emigration.

• Therefore, if there is a lack of music education or no infrastructure to safely engage with music - be it at a school, a venue, or within one’s community - music will struggle to evolve from utility to economy. This stymies the reach of its potential ‘good’. 

• Panels are best when there are examples. Here’s one. I’m curious what the cost-benefit - both economic and social - of a policy that requires a recording studio, or some version of it, included as infrastructure in every IDP or temporary settlement. Much like a school or health care facility. How can we assess its potential value now, soon, and later?

• I know that music is not a panacea. Access to music doesn’t alone stop conflict, fight hunger, or address climate change. But it’s part of a suite of solutions that can, if intentional, address these issues, and many more. 

• Therefore, if we advocate to increase the use of music as a social good, we should do so within a framework that ensures it can also be an economy. Making music when faced with extreme challenges can support physical and mental health. It being listened to, and then money flowing back to the creator, as a result, is not just added value. It is just as important. 

• Therefore, in my closing remarks (if I had them), I would argue that to do this well, transparently, and equitably, we must build a framework that explains how music can work better within the objectives of every UN agency, complete with targets and indicators much like the SDGs.

• I know that this is a sector seen as ‘niche’ by some. And I get it. Economically music is small, but its potential is not. Also, if music has the power to ‘connect the world’ and ‘serve a greater good’, it is that niche? Or is it something that could improve all our lives? 

  

  Photo by Evangeline Shaw on Unsplash

I am encouraged, and inspired, that these discussions are happening alongside the usual concerts, events, parties, and meet-and-greets. I applaud Global Citizen for initiating it. I hope this is just the beginning. From Bilderberg to the UN World Urban Forum, to Smart Cities Expo and Dev-Ex (a global development conference), and everywhere in between, exploring the role of music will make things better.