Mark Mulligan

by Mark Mulligan

This guest column from Mark Mulligan examines the evolution of music fans in what he calls the “endless hustle of the song economy” as streaming listeners rely on algorithms to furnish an endless succession of songs. TikTok is a better venue for developing a personal relationship between musician and listener. But TV is also a surprising source of music discovery for many people. Click for Mark’s analysis and an illustrative data chart.

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by Mark Mulligan

This guest column from Mark Mulligan breaks down what mid-level success looks like from a musician’s viewpoint. “Streaming was built for yesterday’s music business,” Mark Mulligan asserts in this guest column. He breaks down what success looks like to midlevel artists, then doubles it … and it’s still not enough. Mulligan suggests two possible innovations in the existing royalty system.
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by Mark Mulligan

This guest column from Mark Mulligan identifies a crucial trend: After years of relative stability, music consumption is shifting, with the streaming model exemplified by Spotify is beginning to lose some ground — as evidenced by financial reports and the growth of “social music.” Mark asks whether Spotify and the other Western DSPs are going to find themselves left behind by a fast-changing market, or will innovate to keep up the pace.
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by Mark Mulligan

This guest column from Mark Mulligan poses an intriguing question: Is podcast listening cannibalizing listening to streaming music? After all, there are only a set number of hours in a day. Mark digs into recent Spotify metrics to outline a potential answer.
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by Mark Mulligan

This guest column from Mark Mulligan notes that Spotify is raising the price of some Premium subscriptions … and argues it is past time. The basic single-person subscription of $9.99 remains in place, but Mulligan anticipates that level will move upward, and needs to. “The fact that streaming pricing has remained locked at $9.99 since the early 2000s is an open wound for streaming,” Mulligan asserts.

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by Mark Mulligan

This masterful write-up summarizes several important announcements which were clustered into a single week. There are three connecting threads: 1. The (continued) astronomic rise of the independent artist; 2. The growth of creator tools; 3. Streaming’s growing pains. A must-read from a global leader in digital audio industry analysis.
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by Mark Mulligan

A fascinating flow chart of music streaming values that could be developed and captured by streaming services, but aren’t. (China is an exception.)
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by Mark Mulligan

Formats have shaped and dictated the evolution of recorded music. Here is a vision what innovation should look like in a post-format world. Continue Reading →

by Mark Mulligan

In light of the recent IFPI global industry report, MIDiA Research’s Mark Mulligan explores several of the trends that may be adapting and altering the music industry in the future. Continue Reading →