BPI agm roundup

01 September 2014 - Press release

The BPI, the body which represents the British record labels, today held its AGM alongside its Annual Conference for Members (ACM) at the ME London hotel on the Strand.

Keynote speeches were delivered by The Rt. Hon Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sports, and by the BBC’s Head of Music and Controller of Radio 2 and 6 Music, Bob Shennan.

Sajid Javid gave a ringing endorsement of the British recorded music industry and the contribution that it makes to the UK Economy and to Britain’s profile overseas – “Britain punches above its weight in the creative industries, but when it comes to music, that metaphor doesn’t even come close to doing us justice.  The UK accounts for less than one per cent of the global population, yet one in every eight albums sold anywhere in the world is by a British artist.  To put it another way, sales outstrip population by a factor of almost 14 to one.”

“This time last year a Russian official dismissed Great Britain as “A small island that no one listens to”. He was half right. We’re a small island all right. But EVERYONE is listening to us. That success is driven by the talent of our incredible artists. But they’re supported by the hard work and dedication of the remarkable industry that stands behind them.”

The Secretary of State also recognised the vital role of copyright and intellectual property protection in underpinning this success – acknowledging that “without enforceable copyright there would be no A&R, no recording studios, no producers, no session musicians, no publicity, no artwork. None of the vital ingredients that take the music created made by talented artists and turn it into something the whole world can enjoy.”

Sajid Javid then made it clear that the search engines also have to play their part in supporting this, and he announced that government has written to Google, Microsoft and Yahoo, asking them to work with the music industry to stop search results sending people to illegal sites.  He then went further than any Government minister before in declaring that “if we don’t see real progress, we will be looking at a legislative approach”.

The full text of Sajid Javid’s speech is here.

BPI Chief Executive Geoff Taylor, said: “It is encouraging that in Sajid Javid we have a Secretary of State who clearly values the vital contribution that British music – artists and labels – makes to this country’s economy and to our profile overseas.  I welcome his willingness to examine the case for tax breaks for investment in music and his unequivocal invitation to Google and other search engines to work with rightholders to make it easier for fans to find legal music than illegal sites – and his announcement that government “will be looking at a legislative approach" if real progress is not made.”     

The BBC’s Head of Music and Controller of Radio 2 and 6 Music, Bob Shennan, also spoke passionately about his own Corporation’s commitment to British music and outlined a number of initiatives designed to give greater exposure to British music and to new and emerging talent across its broadcast channels, including the inaugural BBC Awards show to be staged in December. 

The BPI AGM was also notable for the final appearance of Tony Wadsworth CBE as its presiding BPI Chairman.  Tony underpinned his farewell address with a stirring defence of British record labels and the essential contribution they make, calling on them to maintain their passionate commitment to a creative environment in which new talent can thrive and that will help to develop the artists of tomorrow.  Tony urged labels to remain true to a vision that aspires to produce more icons of the calibre Kate Bush and Damon Albarn – both of whom he enjoyed a special relationship with when heading up the legendary Parlophone label and then with the EMI Group. Fittingly Damon Albarn was on hand as the special guest to round off proceedings by presenting Tony with an honorary BRIT Award for the Outstanding Contribution he has made to the BPI and to the British Recorded Music Industry as a whole in over 30 years of service.

Tony Wadsworth CBE, said: “The record label has never been more important than it is today. I am a great believer in the future of our industry - there has never been more demand for our product, and there has never been more ways available to the music fan to consume the music that we produce.” Tony’s speech appears in full, below, in the Notes to Editors.

Finally, the AGM saw elections take place for a number of positions on the BPI Council.  The following members were re-elected, having either stood down on a rotational basis or to confirm their appointment having joined the Council since the last AGM:   

Independent label representatives elected:         

• Scott Cohen, Founder, The Orchard
• John Craig OBE, Managing Director, First Night Records 

Major label representatives elected:

• Adam Barker, Director of Business Affairs, Universal Music UK
• Jason Iley, Chairman & CEO, Sony Music UK
• Max Lousada, Chairman & CEO, Warner Music UK
• James Radice, SVP Business Affairs, Warner Music UK
• Nicola Tuer, COO, Sony Music UK