Music industry welcome Labour to government with “a resounding mandate for change”

The music industry has reacted to news of Labour’s victory in the UK general election, after the party swept hundreds of seats across the country and ended 14 years of Conservative rule.

Sir Keir Starmer is set to be appointed Prime Minister later today (July 5) and promised “national renewal” in a victory speech. Now, the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) has said it looks forward to working with “a new influx of MPs” following today’s landslide win.

The FAC is the trade union body representing the needs of musicians and artists in the UK, and its CEO, David Martin, has said it’s crucial to “pick up on unfinished business from the previous Parliament, and quickly deliver the much-anticipated reforms to music streaming alongside greater support for the live music ecosystem”.

In a bid to support live music earlier this year, MPs recommended a ticket levy on arenas and stadiums to save grassroots venues and artists. It followed a damning report by the Music Venue Trust that warned: “We are losing the next generation of British talent because we can’t be bothered to get it right”.

Featured Artists Coalition CEO David Martin's statement on the newly elected government. pic.twitter.com/Y0ExbI3c9Z

— The FAC (@FeaturedArtists) July 5, 2024

UK Music Chief Tom Kiehl also congratulated Sir Keir Starmer on his election victory and urged him to use his “resounding mandate for change” to boost jobs, growth and opportunity in the sector.

Kiehl, who called Starmer a “music loving PM“, said: “The incoming Labour Government has been elected on a platform to implement a plan for the creative sector as part of its industrial strategy. The potential of the UK music industry to contribute to growth must be at the heart of this plan.‌

“The music industry is facing a number of challenges, but also opportunities. A strong relationship between UK Music and the new Government will be essential to navigating what the rest of this decade brings.”

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) echoed that sentiment, and said in a statement: “The real work begins now. Our industry faces serious challenges and needs urgent attention to recover from years of neglect through the cost of living crisis and the pandemic.”

With 2023 described as the “worst year for venue closures“, and a slew of UK festivals being cancelled or postponed this year, Kill highlighted that the music industry needs to “rebuild trust with the new government, after years of feeling misunderstood and undervalued”.

He continued: “The new government has a considerable opportunity ahead, with the current majority, there is an opportunity for meaningful and transactional change. We need the new government to prioritise meaningful policy changes, strategic and targeted financial support, and collaborative efforts to shape the future of nightlife. This will ensure a sustainable and thriving future for night time industries.”

At the FAC AGM back in December, artists like Blur drummer Dave Rowntree, (who stood for election this year), the band FKA Easy Life (now Hard Life), Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. and more told NME how struggles around payment, race, education and ever-closing venues had impacted their hopes for the landscape this year.

FAC Artist In Residence Rowntree said at the time: “We’re seeing the fragmentation of culture, an absolute tsunami of new music, the increasing power of content platforms, and the stifling algorithms of social media. This is an incredibly difficult moment for new artists to even get noticed, let alone try and make a living.”

In April, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of MPs called for streaming reform with an “optimal rate” for songwriters after a report found “royalties have been depressed by digital distribution in the UK, which pays out less to creators (if at all) compared to other modes of distribution”.

This comes after Sir Elton John pledged his support for the Labour Party this week, telling fans:

“Only a changed Labour party will get Britain’s future back,” he explained at the time. “And make no mistake, the Labour Party has changed.”

He continued: “It’s heartbreaking to see the hopes of Britain’s next generation of creative talent downtrodden and destroyed by bureaucracy and red tape,” the legendary singer-songwriter began.

“The rich cultural exchange and education that informed my early years and paved the way for my career and success is drying up and in danger of dying out completely. And it’s not just the musicians, but the whole team that puts together a tour and the wider industry that relies on emerging talent to thrive in the future.”

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