Here is a general view of how the Music Industry is distributed in the UK, its mayor players and everyone involved in the business.
As we can see, it is a very complex structure that involve many companies and individuals. What is important to notice is that almost everything is connected.
However there are some bits of the structure that the music industry in the UK wouldn't exist, some core industries that control the Music Industry in the UK, this are the followings:
1) Recording
The function of a record company (or record label) is to find and sign artists / acts and appropriate material (songs), record them professionally, promote the records (product) and associated artist(s) via the media (TV / radio / press / online / clubs) and release in bulk through to retail outlets and digital services for consumers to purchase.
2) Songwriting and Publishers
Music publishers are concerned with the development, promotion and protection of the interests and rights of songwriters and composers. The function of a music publishing company is to find, invest in, develop and support songwriters and composers, manage the rights in the music, enable the music to reach its many audiences and ensure that writers and composers are properly remunerated. This is done in a variety of ways including encouraging record companies to record and release material and licensing works for synchronisation (i.e. agreeing the use of msuic in a film or advert) and print (sheet music). Music publishing jobs tend to fall into a number of broad categories, the majority of which require musical knowledge/experience.
3) Live Music
Being music a form of performing art, is mandatory that the musician shows their work to the public through live music. This can be shown in venues or festivals or just particular performances in a cafe. The important bit is that the music has to be shown live somehow in order to attract and prove validity to the audience.
4) Artist Management
This is the medium on which many artist count to get known by the public. An artist manager will arrange meetings the producers, venues and publishers that best suit the artist.
In this video, Simon Banks talks about how is it like to be an artist manager.
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Now, here is a list of some of the most important companies that appear in the maps before:
- PPL: "Licenses sound recordings and music videos for use in broadcast, public performance and new media."
- PRS: "PRS for Music is one of the world’s most efficient combined rights collecting operations. Offering its members more money, more often, at less cost and its customers the most efficient means by which they can use music." [more info!]
- MPA: "The Music Publishers Association (MPA) is a non-profit organisation representing music publishers in the UK. It exists to safeguard their interests, and those of the writers signed to them."
- UK Music: "UK Music is an umbrella organisation representing the collective interests of the UK’s commercial music industry, from artists, musicians, songwriters and composers, to major and independent record labels, managers, music publishers, studio producers and collecting societies."
- APRS: "The APRS is a leading force within the British Music Industry, maintaining contact with numerous UK and International associations, as well as with other bodies concerned with standards, training, technical and legal issues."
- BASCA: "We endeavour to offer the highest level of support to our members through our wide range of membership services and our personal support to them as individuals."
- AIM: "The Association of Independent Music is a non-profit-making trade organisation for independent record companies and distributors in the UK. We have over 800 label members."
- Equity: "Equity is the UK Trade Union representing professional performers and other creative workers from across the spectrum of the entertainment, creative and cultural industries."
- FAC: "The Featured Artists Coalition campaigns for the protection of performers' and musicians' rights. We want all artists to have more control of their music and a much fairer share of the profits it generates in the digital age."
- MMF: "Since its inception in 1992, the MMF has worked hard to educate, inform and represent UK managers (and their artists) as well as offering a network through which managers can share experiences, opportunities and information."
- MPG: "The MPG represents and promotes the interests of all those involved in the production of recorded music, including producers, engineers, mixers, re-mixers, programmers and mastering engineers."
- MU: "The Musicians’ Union is an organisation respected around the world which represents over thirty two thousand musicians working in all sectors of the music business. "
IMPORTANT: All the maps but the first were taken from the BPI
