Skip to main content

Month: February 2015

“Full Stream Ahead” – IMRO Music Streaming Seminar | 5th March

Digital technology, once accused of nearly destroying the music industry, is now being hailed as its saviour. As a sign of streaming’s maturity, listening data has now been incorporated in the UK’s official albums charts for the first time. Online streaming services, from the likes of Spotify, Deezer and Last FM have flourished along with the rise of the connected smartphone and tablet computers.streaming

How are Deezer and Rdio ‐ along with other music streaming services ‐ changing the marketplace? While streaming continues to drive music discovery and consumption, what does it do for music sales? As streaming and download services command an increasingly larger piece of the music consumption puzzle what impact is this having on radio and TV?  How do songwriters/artists interact with the various streaming services to maximise their return and exposure?   What are the most effective strategies for emerging artists and songwriters to be heard in today’s streaming age given the abundance of music that they must compete with including new acts as well as the legacy of the past? How has the revenue mix changed in the digital era and how can artists maximise income streams given those changes? How do streaming services help artists find an audience for their music? What acts have recently broken through internationally and why? Are there any commonalities in the reasons why they’ve succeeded on a global platform?

These are just some of the topics that we will explore at this not to be missed seminar at IMRO next month.

Date: Thursday 5th March
Location: IMRO, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Dublin 2.
Time: 2:00pm – 3:30pm

BOOK NOW!

To reserve a place at this event send an email to events@nullimro.ie

Limited Availability | No Admission Charge | Booking Essential
The panel will include:

Christian Harris
Christian Harris, is MD for Deezer, UK & Ireland.  Christian’s role involves overseeing the brand’s growth in both countries. With an extensive track record in developing businesses for the digital content space, most recently via his media streaming company, Gorillabox, Harris is an expert in web content design, development and distribution in the UK, Germany, Holland and Finland. Deezer is the world’s second-biggest music subscription service. Created in Paris, it has 5 million subscribers and 16 million monthly users in over 180 countries. It offers users access to over 35 million tracks and over 30,000 radio channels.

Eamonn Forde
Eamonn Forde is a music business journalist who has been writing about all areas of the music industry since 2001.  He is currently Reports Editor at Music Ally and writes regularly for titles including The Guardian, Q, The Big Issue, Audience and Live UK. Prior to working in the music business, he worked in academia, getting his PhD in 2000. He has won Music Business Writer Of The Year at the past two Record Of The Day Awards.

Alex Vlassopulos
Alex Vlassopulos is Vice President & Head of Business Development, EMEA at Rdio. Rdio is an online music service that offers ad-supported free streaming service and ad-free subscription services in 85 countries. Alex oversees business development in the Europe, Middle-East and Africa region. Before that he was at Omnifone, where he was responsible for overseeing global music licensing and managing the commercial relationships with Omnifone’s customers and rights owners, including all major and independent record labels and publishers.  Prior to that he spent the best part of a decade working for Universal Music and Sony Music. In these roles Alex oversaw digital business development functions including brand partnership deals, digital licensing and strategic D2C initiatives.

Ciaran Bollard
Ciaran is CEO and co- founder of MUZU.tv which is a free music video site where music users can watch the largest collection of music videos on the web, on Samsung, Sony, LG Smart TVs and through Xbox. Since the inception of the company Ciaran has led the charge on attaining investment, successfully negotiated key strategic partnerships, all major label and management deals and launching MUZU in 22 markets. MUZU.TV is the only music video site licensed by all major record labels and the independent sector, content includes concerts, music videos, interviews, music documentaries and more.  MUZU also have a partner network which includes MSN, Last.fm, Microsoft Xbox, Samsung and Sony Internet TV’s, Global Radio, Express Group, Official Charts, Metacafe, Channel 4, music channels, Prisa Group, NME, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The O2 and many more. Muzu generate revenue through premium video advertising. Artists, labels, festivals, broadcasters and all music content owners get a 50/50 share of the advertising revenue generated from plays of their videos on and off the Muzu site. MUZU has Offices in Dublin, London, Germany and Spain and has 15m active users.

New single from award winning Niamh Crowther

niamhcrowtherOrigins is the new single from award winning Irish singer songwriter Niamh Crowther.

At just 18 years old, Niamh has had more acclaim and praise than any of her peers.

In 2013 she beat off 15,000 other young people to claim the Irish Youth Music Awards. The accompanying demo “bullets” was released to radio and received great coverage including “single of the week” on national radio.
A few weeks after that, Hotpress magazine singled her out as one to watch. This coverage earned prestigious support slots with PictureHouse, Blink and appearances at Le Cheile in her native Meath.

Continue reading

New EP from Track Dogs Before Upcoming Irish Tour

Track-Dogs-Four-Legged-Tour-Poster-bleed-3mm-A3-2015Track Dogs have just released a new EP, “All Roads”, featuring a radio edit and live acoustic version of the song “Forever You’ll Be”.

The EP also features the band’s original take on the Faces classic “Ooh La La” and a full string version of album favourite “Early Late”. The EP is the band’s first release in 2015 and will be followed by new material in the lead up to the Madrid-based four-piece’s third album due in the Autumn.

You can listen to the full EP on the band’s Soundcloud page here

https://soundcloud.com/trackdogs/sets/forever-youll-be

Catch Track Dogs live at the following venues in March:

26th March – Crane Lane, Cork

27th March – Harbour Bar, Bray

28th March – Tally Ho, Longford

29th March – Kytelers, Kilkenny

 

New Release from M-Opus Keeps 70’s Prog Rock Alive

Jonathan CaseyHaving worked as a successful composer for orchestras, Jonathan Casey’s music has had performances all over the US, China, Australia, Bulgaria, France, the UK and on TV and film. But his first love was synthesizers and the symphonic, progressive rock of the 1970s.

Teaming up with guitarist Colin Sullivan, the duo started M-Opus; a band that makes new music that remains true to a vintage, 70s style. Their debut album, ‘1975 Triptych’ had just been released and is available from CDBaby , iTunes  and Amazon .

Each of their albums will represent a specific year in the past and reflect the sound of that time.

Their 4-piece live line-up will take the music out on the road this Spring.

For more see www.m-opus.com or follow M-Opus on Facebook and Twitter. Check out their album teaser below.

100% Irish Wants to Hear Your Music

Tracey Hanby Dundalk FMDundalk FM “100% Irish” host, Tracey Hanby, is currently seeking submissions from Irish artists.

The show, which showcases Irish artists in all genres, features a national chart with tracks by Irish artists featured on the IRMA, iTunes, Spotify and Shazam charts.

Other featured slots are Gigs Irelands, #PlayIrish and Dundalk FM Listeners choice.

Tracey is looking for submissions from artists for the Gigs Ireland, #PlayIrish and One to Watch features, as well as interview slots with Irish artists, particularly those gigging in the Dundalk area.

Submissions can be made to Tracey at tracey@nullgigsireland.ie.

The Socio-Economic Contribution of Music to the Irish Economy

Report Highlights the Socio Economic Opportunities of Developing Ireland’s Music Industry

Wednesday, 18th February 2015 – There are significant job creation, export, commercial and educational opportunities to be opened up for Ireland’s indigenous music industry if the right support structures can be put in place. This is according to a new report produced by Deloitte and commissioned by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) on behalf of the Irish music industry. The Socio-Economic Contribution of Music to the Irish Economy highlights the considerable opportunities for Ireland’s vibrant music sector and sets out a number of recommendations to maximise the contribution of music in Ireland in the short, medium and long term. The report was launched by Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys TD and Irish singer-songwriters Brian Kennedy and Luan Parle.

Based on sectoral analysis, the survey found that the Irish music industry contributes over €470 million to the economy and supports more than 11,510 jobs in Ireland – 9,030 direct, 2,480 indirect. In addition, while digital sales in Ireland have grown significantly, latest figures show that in the four years to 2012, recorded music sales fell by almost €40 million from €72 million to €33 million per annum

A survey of IMRO members and consultations with key music industry representatives – including artists and labels, publishers, songwriters, management companies, retail and broadcast personnel – highlighted a number of concerns relating to finance, market access, intellectual property, education and training and collaboration. To that end, the report outlines a number of recommendations, including:

  • The establishment of a Music Industry Taskforce, with representatives from Government, the business community and industry to help reinvigorate the sector and encourage collaboration;
  • Appointing an IP ‘Tsar’ to consider the impact of IP and copyright legislation and enforcement in both the music and technology industries;
  • The development of advanced training courses for music professionals to focus on ‘business of music’ education, particularly for early career musicians;
  • Establishing a Music Office – Music Ireland – to act as a focal point for the music industry, similar to the Irish Film Board. This office would provide assistance to individuals in the music sector and those looking to enter new overseas markets; Greater collaboration between the music, tourism, gaming and technology sectors;
  • Greater support for musicians, many of whom are self-employed, in accessing finance and ensuring that fiscal supports are effective and appropriately structured.

Commenting on the report, Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys TD said, “This report highlights the huge contribution the music industry makes to our economy. Ireland’s rich musical heritage is a very important element of our image on the international stage and it acts as a major draw for tourists. I look forward to working further with the music industry as my Department develops our first even national cultural policy;  Culture 2025. I am very keen to get the views and input of the music industry and stakeholders across the arts. I intend to publish a Culture 2025 Discussion Paper shortly, which will be an important step in opening up the debate around how we should shape the future of the arts in Ireland – including music.”

Keith Donald, Chair of IMRO said, “We are at an exciting juncture for Irish music and now is the time to ascertain how we can support, grow and reinvigorate the industry. The sector delivers significantly for Irish society and the economy, maintaining and creating thousands of jobs. Collaboration amongst Government, industry and music creators themselves will help the sector to adapt to new challenges, grasp new opportunities and help it to reach its full potential.”

Victor Finn, CEO of IMRO said, “If we are to maintain and increase participation in Irish music, it is important that Government, the business community and industry work together to recast perceptions of music as a career and to ensure that the right supports and structures are in place to assist musicians, help them to realise their potential and access markets in Ireland and overseas. In addition, we are calling for greater collaboration between the music industry and the tourism, film, technology and gaming sectors to create new opportunities for growth. The economic and social dividend for Ireland will be significant.”

Singer-songwriter Brian Kennedy said, “As a working musician and performer for the last 25 years it is incredibly important to stand by IMRO on these vitally important issues that affect the entire music industry.  Being a music creator is an actual proper job and this should be recognised, rewarded and assisted through all possible channels.  It is important to put in place resources that remunerate creation from its inception by supporting songwriters and composers’ basic investment, without which no works could ever come into existence. Music creators play an enormous role in society and never more so as we work our way through challenging economic times.”

Singer-songwriter Luan Parle added “I greatly welcome the announcement of this important report today as it paints a realistic picture of how our industry operates and hopefully it will lead to a better understanding of what investments, collaborations and regulatory environment is needed to help our industry grow in the months and years ahead.”

NEW REPORT SHOWS THAT THE IRISH MUSIC INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTES ALMOST HALF A BILLION EURO TO THE ECONOMY AND SUPPORTS MORE THAN 11,500 JOBS

 

Summary Report:

Download Summary Report

 

Full Report:

Download Full Report

The Joey Ryan Trio on the Road this March

Joey Ryan TrioThe Joey Ryan Trio will be kicking off their live shows in 2015 with a short Irish run of dates in March. This will be one of only two runs the Trio will be performing in Ireland this year, as they have already been booked for tours in Sweden, Denmark and Finland for November 2015, along with a highly anticipated return to Germany in June.

Following on from the incredible support for their iTunes rock chart topping charity single Stay Strong and 2014 release The Redefine EP, the rock Trio have been busy writing and recording new
music which will be released in the coming 18 months.

FEBRUARY

26th: Charlie’s Bar, Cork

MARCH:

2nd: Crane Lane Theatre, Cork
4th: Cobblestone Joes, Limerick
27th: The Folkhouse, Kinsale
28th: DeBarras Folkclub, Clonakilty

The Redefine EP is available on iTunes now, and features the bonus studio full length version of March single Stay Strong.

For more see www.facebook.com/joeyryansongs.

Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh Returns This Week

Scoil Cheoil Begley CooneyThe annual traditional music school, Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh, takes place this week in the idyllic setting of the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry. The village of Ballyferriter will play host to visiting musicians from Russia, Canada, Denmark, the UK and Belgium, as well as Irish musicians who return year after year to the school. Along with creating an international awareness of Ireland’s rich musical heritage, the school inspires young musicians to keep traditional performance alive.

So what makes this four-day event so special? There’s the incredible line-up of classes on offer with gifted musicians, dancers and singers sharing their knowledge on the harp, accordion, bodhrán, banjo, guitar, uileann pipes, fiddle, tin whistle, flute, concertina, bagpipes, mouth organ, sean-nós singing and dancing.

The music classes take place alongside a host of other great cultural and musical events such as the informal conversation classes in Irish and Scots Gaidhlig, a guided walk, a Singers Night, the ever popular pupils concert in the village church, set dancing sessions, the Féile Mass with Peadar Ó Riada and Cór Chúil Aodha, the annual Coffee Morning and session in aid of Crumlin Children’s hospital, and music and song with na Caipiní.

Two great concerts packed with talented musicians and singers are also in the events line-up, with performances from Steve Cooney and Seamus Begley, flute player Harry Bradley (who received Gradam Ceoil in 2014), Scottish gaelic singer Margaret Stewart, uileann piper Mickey Dunne, traditional singer Tommy McCarthy and the amazing Brendan Power on harmonica.

As usual there are also a couple of great new events on the Scoil menu this year, with a performance in the Blasket Centre showcasing three very different singing traditions, a presentation of old 78’s and vinyl recordings in Museum Corca Dhuibhne, and a lunchtime session in Louis Mulcahy Café featuring Brendan Power and old timey fiddle player Benjamin Wetherbee.

Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh kicks off on February 18th and continues through to February 22nd.

Like’ the Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh facebook page to be kept up to date with any additions to the line-up, and to book a place on any of the classes, a full list of which is available on the Scoil website at www.scoilcheoil.com.

Keep up to date with IMRO news and events

Please select login