UK Music paid tribute to Lord (Tom) Watson after the peer confirmed he is to stand down as UK Music Chair after six years leading the industry body which champions and campaigns for the sector.   

Lord Watson of Wyre Forest was appointed to the key role in April 2020 with an immediate pledge to help the industry fight back from the devastating impact of the Covid-enforced shutdowns.   

He will step down in Spring 2026 after serving as Chair of UK Music, the collective voice of the music industry, for two three-year terms - the limit set under the organisation's rules.   

A former Government Minister and Shadow Culture Secretary, the Labour peer helped UK Music, its members and the wider industry rebuild post-pandemic to the point where the sector now contributes £7.6 billion to the economy and supports 210,000 jobs.  

Under the previous Conservative Government, Lord Watson played a critical role in securing a £1.57 billion Covid Relief Fund - a lifeline for the sector which lost one in three jobs as a result of the pandemic.   

Following the 2024 General Election, the former Labour Party deputy leader helped forge strong links with PM Sir Keir Starmer’s administration to establish the creative industries as one of the Government's key priorities for growth.   

In his role as Chair, Lord Watson has led UK Music in its efforts to champion, collaborate and campaign for a music industry that leads the world.  

Paying tribute, UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl said: “Tom has been an outstanding ambassador for the music industry.    

“Using his immense knowledge of Westminster and Whitehall, he helped steer the sector through the choppiest of waters during Covid and was instrumental in securing vital financial support for the music industry.   

“He should be incredibly proud of all he has achieved and I would like to personally thank him for all the support and advice he has offered me during the past five years, as well as for the guidance to my predecessor Jamie Njoku-Goodwin and the rest of the UK Music executive team.

“I know he will continue to be a valued friend and supporter of the industry and am sure we will continue to see him at gigs for many years to come.”  

Lord Watson said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with a board of industry professionals who are passionate about music’s contribution to culture and commerce. To my successor, whoever she or he may be, I can say that no day will be the same but every day will be a joy. 

“After six years, and the completion of the maximum two terms, it’s been quite a roller coaster: five Culture Secretaries, four Prime Ministers, a pandemic lockdown, Brexit touring, the rise of AI, the evolution of music streaming and several select committee inquiries. Yet amid all that turbulence, UK Music has remained a powerful, united voice for our world-class industry. 

“I’m particularly proud of the ground-breaking, industry-leading model of equality, diversity and inclusion we’ve built, which has helped the sector move beyond ambition to action and embed real change across the workforce and creative ecosystem. 

“The challenges remain clear: ensure a copyright settlement for creators is fair for the digital age, embed creativity in our education system, boost growth and exports, and make real progress on touring in the EU. Music is one of Britain’s greatest national assets. Helping to protect and promote it through the toughest of times has been a privilege.” 


UK Music members paid tribute to Lord Watson for his work championing the music industry.  

AIM Chief Executive Gee Davy said: “Tom Watson has proven himself a devoted friend to the music sector in his time as Chair of UK Music and he's going to be a tough act to follow. He's perhaps seen one of the toughest periods, coming in as Covid hit and seeing us through to the expansion of AI into the public space. He has so generously given his time, political insights, no-nonsense advice all with lots of good humour. His keen interest in the independent music community was clear from the start and I am deeply grateful for his comradeship with the AIM board to help us campaign more effectively.” 

BPI Chief Executive Dr Jo Twist OBE said: “We thank Tom Watson for his valued contribution to UK Music during his tenure as Chair, and for the stewardship he has provided to help navigate a period of great transformation in our industry. We wish him well in his future endeavours and look forward to working with his successor in due course.” 

FAC CEO David Martin said: “Tom has been a unifying and positive force for the music industry during a period of real change. His energy, openness and genuine passion for music have helped strengthen collaboration across the sector and ensure that artists’ voices are heard at the highest levels. His leadership through the pandemic and beyond has left a lasting legacy of cooperation and purpose. It’s been a real pleasure working with him as Chair, and I look forward to building on that foundation as UK Music enters its next chapter.”  

The Ivors Academy CEO Roberto Neri said: “I’d like to thank Tom for his dedication and leadership as Chair of UK Music. He has been a passionate advocate for protecting and growing the UK’s world-leading music industry. Tom’s personal relationships have ensured our collective voice has been heard across Westminster. At a time when sustaining creative careers is increasingly challenging, the need for a strong and representative body for our sector has never been greater. We wish Tom every success in his next steps.” 
 
MMF Chief Executive Annabella Coldrick said: “Tom became UK Music Chair just after the country entered Covid-19 lockdown and remained a steadying presence through the entirety of this traumatic and challenging period. As the industry has faced fresh challenges, such as tackling the implications of AI music and the crisis in grassroots live touring, he has continued to play an important role at the heart of UK Music. On behalf of the MMF, I would like to thank Tom for his efforts in bringing the industry together and helping us present a more coherent and powerful voice.”   

MPA CEO Paul Clements said: “I cannot thank Lord Tom Watson enough for the consistent level of commitment he has provided to UK Music, which has always gone above and beyond expectation, let alone the skills he has deployed in chairing UK Music so effectively over his term. Having held the position of Shadow Culture Secretary when he served as a Labour MP, it was perhaps unsurprising to see Tom adapt to his role and be so ‘in tune’ with his brief when he joined us in March 2020. Since then, his support to our industry and advocacy on behalf of music creators and rightsholders has been second to none while he has helped us fine tune and maintain a clearer than ever collective voice on behalf of the UK Music industry we all treasure. Thank you so much, Tom. You will be one incredibly hard act to follow!” 

MPG Executive Director Cameron Craig said: “Stepping in to steer UK Music through the most turbulent of times — from the chaos of Covid to the political merry-go-round that followed — Tom has never faltered. His steady hand gave us all a sense of direction when things were changing by the hour. His deep insight into the political world has taught us all so much. I’ll admit there were moments when I thought, “Hmm, are you sure about that?”— but without fail, he turned out to be right. Beyond his sharp political instincts, his patience and good humour have made working alongside him such a pleasure. It’s been an absolute privilege to work alongside him and his unshakeable belief in the power of music to make a difference.” 

Musicians’ Union General Secretary Naomi Pohl said: “In his Chair role, Tom Watson has guided the UK Music Board and team through the Covid-19 pandemic years and various very significant developments in the music industry, most recently our response to training of artificial intelligence models on our members' music. Throughout these challenging times, UK Music has been a consistent and powerful voice for the industry. There is no doubt that Tom has contributed significantly, including stepping his role up during a period when we were between permanent Chief Executives. We know he will continue to be an advocate for the music industry in the House of Lords.”   

PPL CEO Peter Leathem OBE said: "It has been an absolute pleasure working alongside Tom. His ability to navigate a complex political landscape with both insight and strategic acumen has been invaluable. Tom has successfully managed relationships across ten different music industry organisations and consistently sought to build consensus where it matters most. His leadership has strengthened collaboration across the sector and leaves UK Music well positioned for the future."

PRS for Music CEO Andrea Czapary Martin said: “We’d like to thank Tom for his significant contribution to the industry during his time as Chair. His political insight, combined with his deep passion for music, helped shape important developments in the past years. His determination to secure a better future for music and its creators has been greatly appreciated by all of us at PRS for Music.”   

UK Music is starting the process of recruiting a new Chair for the organisation.