Music Publishing Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

The report covers Global Top Music Publishing Companies and is Segmented by Royalties (Performance, Synchronization, Digital Revenue, and Physical Revenue), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa). The market sizes and forecasts are provided in terms of value (USD billion) for all the above segments.

Music Publishing Market Size

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Music Publishing Market Summary
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Study Period 2019 - 2029
Market Size (2024) USD 7.26 Billion
Market Size (2029) USD 9.66 Billion
CAGR (2024 - 2029) 5.87 %
Fastest Growing Market Latin America
Largest Market North America

Major Players

Music Publishing Market Major Players

*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order

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Music Publishing Market Analysis

The Music Publishing Market size is estimated at USD 7.26 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 9.66 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 5.87% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

In the music publishing sector, wearable and wireless technology are popular solutions. These mobile devices are helpful at concerts and live performances. Most music business vendors collaborate with value chain enablers to gain simple access to and reach the customer base, enabling music listening through these mediums and creating a considerable user base.

The worldwide music publishing market is expanding in parallel with the number of artists and live performances. Furthermore, developing the media and entertainment sectors is a significant driver of the music publishing market.

The process of buying and licensing musical compositions' rights from songwriters, composers, or other right holders is known as music publishing. Most music publishing income comes from five main types of royalties: mechanical, performance, synchronization, digital, and other. Other duties of music publishing include song acquisition, copyright management, and copyright protection.

Recording, selling, publishing, and disseminating musical content are all included in music publishing. Songwriters, vocalists, and publishing companies enter into a contract to publish songs or albums for the market.

Music publishers serve as critical intermediaries between songwriters and recording businesses. The music publisher requires the song's copyright and a fee to publish the music content, generally called royalty.

Because of the popularity of music streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora, physical music sales have decreased. However, the business is growing due to an increasing number of musicians worldwide and recent technological advances in music. Music publishers are in high demand since many artists and musicians rely on them for individualized assistance in managing their music, copyrights, and other assets. Furthermore, the media business has done well as customers have switched to digital channels.

While technology fosters growth, it no longer competes with or is adjacent to the music industry. Record labels are enhancing and harnessing it as part of the industry. However, piracy and unethical downloads via proxy sites are a few challenges impeding industry growth.

COVID-19 significantly impacted the music and arts sectors. Numerous music-related occasions, such as festivals, concert tours, and award ceremonies, have been postponed or canceled. Some composers and musicians could use the opportunity to create new works; nonetheless, there were unforeseen effects for the numerous others who assisted in performances. Several record releases were postponed.

Music Publishing Market Trends

Digital Revenue has the Largest Growth in the Market

The songwriting and publishing communities have been combating not only the unequal payment structure of streaming, which sees recorded-music rights holders paid three times what publishing is produced, but also the music industry's unbalanced power and payment structures since the start of the streaming-fueled recovery a few years ago.

Music publishing companies are primarily concerned with securing and registering copyrights for musical works under the law and marketing and allowing these compositions for use in recordings, radio, television, motion films, live performances, print, or other media. The interests of songwriters or other owners of musical compositions in producing income from those songs are represented by businesses in this sector, frequently through licensing agreements. These organizations may be the copyright owners or serve as administrators on their behalf. This industry includes music book and sheet music publishers.

The RIAA states that there are many other types of streaming, such as paid subscriptions, ad-supported music streaming services, digital and customized radio, music licensing for Facebook, and digital fitness programs. The release includes TikTok music revenue from the United States, allowing labels to license new apps, services, and formats by utilizing their unique work. These revenues climbed by 24% yearly to USD 12.4 billion, accounting for 83% of overall sales - a level identical to the previous year.

The music industry is one of many that has embraced the advancement of streaming. It has deliberately driven it. The expansion of streaming is one component of a corporation that has formed alliances with the most significant and forward-thinking technology companies and is dedicated to realizing the potential given by technological breakthroughs.

Various developments are taking place in the market under consideration. For example, LimeWire, a digital collectibles marketplace, said last year that it had formed its first major music label collaboration with Universal Music Group (UMG) and would collaborate to make digital music collectibles more accessible to a broader audience.

  • YouTube Music was the most downloaded music and audio app in the Google Play Store in the previous year, according to Airnow. More than 9.42 million Android users downloaded the streaming service. With around four million downloads from global consumers, Shazam was the second-most popular music and audio app.
Music Publishing Market: Android music and audio apps in the Google Play Store, By Number of Downloads, In Millions, Global, June 2022

North America Accounts for Significant Share in the Market

  • North America is one of the regions with the music publishing industry's fastest revenue growth. Using sheet music is helping North American music publishers grow and bring in more money. The most significant portion of the global market for music publishing came from the United States. Numerous traditional and independent music publishing companies in the nation are fueling the expansion since they provide musicians with the most significant opportunities to display their talent.
  • Many collaborations were formed in the region. A worldwide administration and marketing agreement between Memory Lane Music Group and The Atlas Music Group has been reached. Jody Williams, a music business veteran in Nashville, established Jody Williams Songs as a collaborative publishing project with Warner Chappell Music Nashville. Furthermore, the rising popularity of music festivals in the United States is anticipated to have an even more significant impact on public performance license revenue. The United States currently hosts over 800 music events.
  • Small and big music publishing organizations are in the highly competitive US market. This puts publishing companies under pressure to deliver more albums each year while maintaining the same level of quality. The nation is also seeing a decline in consumer preference for physical and online purchases. It is projected that this factor will boost market growth. It is projected that this factor will encourage market growth.
  • In the previous year, To create an integrated global publisher services administration and licensing division that will be known as SX Works Global Publisher Services (SX Works), SoundExchange, the music tech company driving the future of music, announced that it is consolidating its current publisher services offering.
  • In the last year, to create a digital publishing platform with more than 100,000 artists, Kakao Entertainment, a popular mobile content platform provider in Korea, announced the merger of its North American subsidiaries, Tapas Media and Radish Media. In addition to extending Kakao Entertainment's worldwide IP value chain, the merger of two top digital publishers creates a synergistic community of storytellers in the North American market.
Music Publishing Market - Growth Rate by Region

Music Publishing Industry Overview

The music publishing market is highly fragmented due to many local and regional players. Some of the major players in the market include Sony Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, and Warner/Chappell Music Inc., among others.

  • May 2023 - Tips Music (Tips industry) and Sony Music Publishing (SMP) has signed a global publishing agreement. According to the company's news release, the agreement will allow Sony Music Publishing to manage and market the music globally, broadening the audience for Tips Music's extensive portfolio. This partnership between Tips Music and Sony Music Publishing is proof of the rising popularity of Indian music and the possibilities for cooperation and expansion it presents. The collaboration between Tips Music and SMP is predicted to increase the Bollywood music label's publishing and royalties while allowing its artists to reach a larger worldwide audience.
  • February 2023 - David Gates, a renowned singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, and Kipahulu Music Co., his publishing company, have expanded their cooperation with Sony Music Publishing's global publishing administration. Gates' association with the corporation, which dates back to the 1960s, continues through the deal.
  • June 2022 - Songclip, the world's patented music clip firm, announced a multi-year global strategic relationship with Universal Music Group (UMG), the international music entertainment, and Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), the world's top global music publisher. As a primary component, music boosts app and social platform user engagement and loyalty. Songclip's collaboration with UMG and UMPG enables the integration of the most comprehensive global music repertoire as a specialized feature across partners in the increasing App and social media industry. The technological suite at Songclip ensures that all music is properly accounted for and licensed.

Music Publishing Market Leaders

  1. Sony Music Publishing LLC ​

  2. Universal Music Publishing Group​

  3. Warner/Chappell Music Inc.

  4. Kobalt Music Group.

  5. BMG Rights Management​

*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order

Music Publishing Market Concentration
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Music Publishing Market News

  • May 2022 - A global publishing deal was signed by rising singer-songwriter Kal Lavelle, according to Sony Music Publishing United Kingdom. Due to her collaborations with Ed Sheeran, Irish-born singer-songwriter Kal Lavelle has quickly emerged as one of the genre's most promising hitmakers.
  • Feb 2022 - The historic song catalog of Neil Diamond has been fully acquired by the music-based entertainment corporation Universal Music Group (UMG) via Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). In its new permanent home at Universal Music Group, Diamond's recorded music and publishing are united under this extensive global arrangement.
  • February 2022 - A partnership between Influence Media Partners ("Influence Media"), funds and accounts managed by BlackRock Alternative Investors ("BlackRock"), and Warner Music Group ("WMG") has been announced to create a music rights platform that will finance and oversee some of the most well-known composers' most important works.

Music Publishing Market Report - Table of Contents

  1. 1. INTRODUCTION

    1. 1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition

    2. 1.2 Scope of the Study

  2. 2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

    1. 2.1 Research Framework

    2. 2.2 Secondary Research

    3. 2.3 Primary Research

    4. 2.4 Data Triangulation and Insight Generation

  3. 3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  4. 4. MARKET INSIGHTS

    1. 4.1 Market Overview

    2. 4.2 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Forces Analysis

      1. 4.2.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

      2. 4.2.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

      3. 4.2.3 Threat of New Entrants

      4. 4.2.4 Threat of Substitutes

      5. 4.2.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

    3. 4.3 Assessment of Impact of COVID-19 on the Market

    4. 4.4 Industry Value Chain Analysis

    5. 4.5 Publishing Functions

      1. 4.5.1 Acquiring Songs

      2. 4.5.2 Administering Copyrights

      3. 4.5.3 Other Functions

  5. 5. MARKET DYNAMICS

    1. 5.1 Market Drivers

      1. 5.1.1 Growing Popularity of Music Streaming Services

      2. 5.1.2 Increasing Live Concerts and Performances

      3. 5.1.3 Growing Adoption of Digital Music

    2. 5.2 Market Restraints

      1. 5.2.1 Privacy Issues

      2. 5.2.2 Decline in Physical Volume Sales

  6. 6. MARKET SEGMENTATION

    1. 6.1 By Royalties

      1. 6.1.1 Performance

      2. 6.1.2 Synchronization

      3. 6.1.3 Digital Revenue

      4. 6.1.4 Physical Revenue

    2. 6.2 By Geography

      1. 6.2.1 North America

      2. 6.2.2 Europe

      3. 6.2.3 Asia-Pacific

      4. 6.2.4 Latin America

      5. 6.2.5 Middle East & Africa

  7. 7. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

    1. 7.1 Company Profiles

      1. 7.1.1 Sony Music Publishing

      2. 7.1.2 Universal Music Publishing Group

      3. 7.1.3 Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

      4. 7.1.4 Kobalt Music Group, Ltd

      5. 7.1.5 BMG Rights Management GmbH

      6. 7.1.6 Round Hill Music

      7. 7.1.7 Pulse Recordings

      8. 7.1.8 Big Yellow Dog Music LLC

      9. 7.1.9 Black River Entertainment

      10. 7.1.10 Reach Music Publishing, Inc.

      11. 7.1.11 Disney Music Group

      12. 7.1.12 Big Deal Music, LLC

    2. *List Not Exhaustive
  8. 8. INVESTMENT ANALYSIS

  9. 9. FUTURE OF THE MARKET

**Subject to Availability
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Music Publishing Industry Segmentation

A music publisher or publishing firm in the music industry ensures that songwriters and composers get paid when their songs are commercially played. A publishing contract is an agreement in which a songwriter or composer transfers the rights to a publishing company. In exchange, the company licenses the compositions, assists in tracking where they are used, collects royalties, and distributes them to the composers. They also get music commissions and promote existing pieces to recording artists, cinema, and television.

The Music Publishing Market is Segmented by Royalty (Performance, Synchronization, Digital Revenue, and Physical Revenue) and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa). The market sizes and forecasts are provided in terms of value (USD billion) for all the above segments.

By Royalties
Performance
Synchronization
Digital Revenue
Physical Revenue
By Geography
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
Latin America
Middle East & Africa
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Music Publishing Market Research FAQs

The Music Publishing Market size is expected to reach USD 7.26 billion in 2024 and grow at a CAGR of 5.87% to reach USD 9.66 billion by 2029.

In 2024, the Music Publishing Market size is expected to reach USD 7.26 billion.

Sony Music Publishing LLC ​, Universal Music Publishing Group​, Warner/Chappell Music Inc., Kobalt Music Group. and BMG Rights Management​ are the major companies operating in the Music Publishing Market.

Latin America is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period (2024-2029).

In 2024, the North America accounts for the largest market share in Music Publishing Market.

In 2023, the Music Publishing Market size was estimated at USD 6.86 billion. The report covers the Music Publishing Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The report also forecasts the Music Publishing Market size for years: 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029.

Music Publishing Industry Report

Statistics for the 2024 Music Publishing market share, size and revenue growth rate, created by Mordor Intelligence™ Industry Reports. Music Publishing analysis includes a market forecast outlook to 2029 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry analysis as a free report PDF download.

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Music Publishing Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029)