DSPs Launch New European Alliance

Spotify, Deezer, Soundcloud and other digital service providers (DSPs) have announced the launch of Digital Music Europe (DME), a new alliance that seeks to promote the success of the European digital music industry.

The network, which also includes platforms such as 7digital and Soundcharts, will serve as a resource for policy-makers, media and the digital music industry. Google, Apple and Amazon are all conspicious by their absence.

President of DME and CEO of Deezer Hans-Holger Albrecht commented: “For a decade, European digital music companies have led the transformation of the music industry globally. Bringing these companies together to create DME is a great opportunity to highlight European leadership in this sector, inspire other European entrepreneurs and create a unique voice with policy-makers”.

Dress it up however you like, this is a lobbying group at a time when DSPs undoubtedly need one- despite the European recorded music market growing by 4% in 2016 primarily due to steaming, Spotify alone is under fire on everything from artist royalty pay outs to its inability to recognise a whole bunch of mechanical rights in the US.

The primary purpose of DME will no doubt be to push for a legislative and regulatory framework that supports the growth of their businesses first and foremost.