Report: ORCA is a think tank comprising independent record labels who invest in artists and their businesses.

This report was researched and developed by the nonprofit Center for Music Ecosystems, commissioned by ORCA.

We see music’s impact on all our lives and are proud to support its increasing influence. More of us are listening to music than ever before. However, the way music is valued needs to evolve to benefit more artists and workers and, in doing so, amplify its impact on society as a whole. Now is the time to build a better, more inclusive music industry that supports artists, the artform itself, and the myriad of jobs and skills it creates.

This is where independent record labels come in. Our experience and model for supporting artists and the value created by music offer an approach and structure for improving the music industry. The independent label model, which is explained in detail in this report, is based on risk taking and investing in artists’ businesses, which support a robust and valuable music industry and, in turn, communities everywhere. The thousands of independent labels worldwide sign and support a huge diversity of artists, uplifting pioneering artistic talent, emerging sounds, and unconventional genres, from local scenes to global recognition, driving representation across the music industry. Ultimately, independent labels produce an outsized cultural impact, shaping global movements that transcend music.

We are not the only investor in artists, nor do we assert that our model holds all the answers. We aim to initiate conversations by drawing on insights from our experiences and present ways the music industry can significantly increase its value, which is broadly defined to include economic, social, and cultural benefits within and outside the industry. We believe that music can continue to increase its rate of economic growth. It can reward a greater diversity of artists more fairly for their work. And it can amplify the external benefits it generates in areas such as community development, education, and healthcare. Importantly, it can achieve all of these things simultaneously with the right approach. For music to grow sustainably and improve the lives of all those engaged in it, the best ways of optimizing its value must be explored. And independent record labels offer an important perspective on how to achieve that.

This report was researched and developed by the nonprofit Center for Music Ecosystems, commissioned by ORCA. It is an introduction to ORCA and what it stands for. It introduces the current state of the music industry, the role of independent labels within it, the economic, social, and cultural benefits music generates, and the exciting potential to produce more value.

Download full report.

If you’d like to reach out or have comments on this report, please email us at info@centerformusicecosystems.com

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