Changing their tunes? Music sites face probe
A probe into whether the rise of music streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music is fair and competitive is set to begin.
The announcement by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) follows a report from a UK parliamentary committee which warned that the ties between music majors and streaming platforms could stifle innovation.
“The UK is home to many of the world’s most popular artists,” said Andrea Coscelli of the CMA. “We want to do everything we can to ensure this sector is competitive, thriving and works in the interests of music lovers.”
Spotify declined to comment. The British music industry body, the BPI, said it welcomed the study.
The CMA has recently taken an increasingly proactive role in the regulation of digital markets, with investigations already launched into the power of tech giants Google, Facebook and Apple.
It said it would now turn its sights on music streaming which, in Britain, accounts for 80% of music consumption.
Artists have long complained that they do not receive a fair share from streaming platforms, with Garbage’s Shirley Manson telling The Sunday Post last week that the industry was “abusing musicians, and exploitative”.