Organization for Recorded Music and Culture (ORCA)
ORCA (Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts) is a think tank comprised of international independent music labels committed to increasing music’s economic, social, and cultural value.
It will do this by developing globally relevant and translatable evidenced‑based research that informs governments and supports the work of trade associations, as well as contributing to furthering music’s impact on global economic and social development.
ORCA’s mission is to develop and promote research, data, and qualitative and quantitative evidence that underscore the significant economic, social, and cultural value of music. The initiative is coordinated through the Center for Music Ecosystems.
ORCA’s founding members include a diverse array of the world’s most influential independent music labels that discovered and developed the long careers of Adele, Nirvana, Christine and the Queens, The National, Mitski, ODESZA, among other leading global music artists:
- Because Music (Paris, France)
- Beggars Group (London, UK)
- City Slang (Berlin, Germany)
- Domino Recording Company (New York, NY)
- Everlasting Records (Madrid, Spain)
- Exceleration Music (Nashville, TN)
- Hopeless Records (Los Angeles, CA)
- !K7 Music (Berlin, Germany)
- Ninja Tune Records (London, UK)
- Partisan Records (New York, NY)
- Playground Music (Stockholm, Sweden)
- Secret City Records (Montreal, Canada)
- Secretly Group (Bloomington, IN)
- Sub Pop (Seattle, WA)
Launch of First Research Report
As part of the official launch, ORCA is proud to release its inaugural research report, “Setting the Stage: How Music Works.” This comprehensive report, presented as both an interactive website and a standalone PDF, provides an in-depth introduction to the music industry, detailing the complexity of its stakeholders and activities, and highlighting the extensive benefits it generates—ranging from economic and cultural to community-based impacts. ORCA will release a series of reports that will include research and data on the immense benefits of the music ecosystem for local economies, workforce development and job creation, and social issues spanning equity, sustainability, and beyond.