RESTORING QUEBEC MUSIC’S TRUE VALUE
After a sharp decline at the turn of the millennium, music industry revenues have rapidly increased, experiencing 40%+ growth since 2014 worldwide. This momentum has mostly been sustained by the rapid rise in streaming music.
Music industry revenue in Canada
People’s love of music transcends time. But what has changed is the way in which this content is accessed… and has it ever changed! Certain older formats are regaining popularity. In Quebec, the market for vinyl has doubled since 2015, and if you have any faith in international trends, this phenomenon is not yet over. Last year in the U.S., vinyl sales reached the same level as in 1986!
The pleasure of listening: The form has changed, not the content
Source: Vividata, fall survey 2021, Quebec fr., 14+
Gains from growth are not widely shared
While the industry is thriving, not everyone is benefiting from the economic repercussions. Even worse is the fact that the growing monopoly in streaming services is sharpening these inequalities, to the detriment of the artists themselves.
Division of industry revenue
Source: Incidence économique de la diffusion de musique en continu sur l’industrie de la musique au Canada, Wall Communications Inc. for Canadian Heritage, June 2021
Source: Le Quotidien Numérique, Être sur Spotify ou ne pas être, February 2022
In Quebec, the inequality is amplified
Francophone music from Quebec, a microcosm within the larger North American market, is especially vulnerable. Until now, musicians in the province could lay claim to being recognized and earn a living from their art form. Today, this model struggles to remain viable. The reduction in the audience for radio and the growth in streaming services is reducing the visibility of the province’s artists and threatening their livelihoods.
An unequal fight
Sources: Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) / Incidence économique de la diffusion de musique en continu sur l’industrie de la musique au Canada, Wall Communications Inc. for Canadian Heritage, June 2021
QUB Musique is working to support local artists
Launched in 2020, QUB Musique’s goal is to counter this trend by offering an alternative to foreign streaming services. Equipped with an international-calibre catalogue, the platform acts as a showcase for Quebec artists and provides Quebecers with an option to consume local content.
Committed to improved distribution of local culture
Source: Observatoire de la culture et des communications du Québec, figures from Nielsen Music , for the period starting October 15, 2021.
