Brussels, 17 July 2024

Today, Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts (ORCA) has officially launched, marking the beginning of a groundbreaking think tank, a first for the music ecosystem, composed of leading independent music labels from around the world. 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)

Martin Mills, Founder and Chairman of Beggars Group said: “This is a concept long in the making, arising from a realization of shared values above and beyond our existing collective independent activities. Music is an undervalued asset in the daily round, and we seek to translate the motivations underlying its production into an appreciation that art and commerce can live as one.”

Christof Ellinghaus, Founder and CEO, City Slang, commented: “As an independent music label based in Berlin, City Slang has helped shape and influence music and cultural discourse and developments for the past 34 years. Fortunately, we have not done this alone. We are just one of many exciting independent music companies that contribute to the flourishing global music industry. To this end, we are excited to join forces with other leading independent labels to launch ORCA. Together, we will create comprehensive, data-driven reports and independent studies to demonstrate the significant value we contribute to society through our daily investments in art and culture.”

Vision for a Thriving Music Economy

ORCA is dedicated to investing in and fostering the development of music as both culture and commerce. Music holds a unique power to support all communities and the people who live in them. By demonstrating the benefits, long-term value, and return on investment for continuously supporting artists long-term while developing thriving music ecosystems, ORCA aims to highlight music’s role in transforming economies and inspiring social impact.

It is imperative to recognize the music economy and its potential to create well-paid, creatively rewarding long-term jobs. Careers and jobs are created for more than just artists and producers and are made for the entire support system: engineering, licensing, marketing, ticketing, venue staffing, and beyond. Through workforce development, music can foster social mobility, promote equity, and contribute to a forward-thinking sector that offers opportunities to artists, businesses, and communities worldwide.

Through its research, ORCA invites policymakers, business leaders, and communities to understand deeply why music matters and should be recognized as its own economic ecosystem. By providing evidence-based research, the think tank aims to arm stakeholders with tools to make music more inclusive and leverage music ecosystems to build collective value.

Noemí Planas, CEO, Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), added: “As an organization that champions the independent music sector and celebrates its successes, WIN welcomes this much-needed report, which highlights our industry’s best practices as well as the role and work of its companies and entrepreneurs. By providing concrete case studies, this new tool complements WIN’s own initiatives to amplify the collective position of the global independent recorded music sector, such as the Global Independent Values and the Principles for Generative AI. This report will be particularly valuable in informing policy and supporting the remarkable efforts of trade associations around the world to promote the value of music and the strength and diversity of the independent community.”

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.

Helen Smith, Executive Chair at The European Indie Trade Association, IMPALA said: “This report sets out the unique work of independent labels and their vital contribution to the music ecosystem and beyond. It also illustrates how these labels work collectively to lead on key issues and we are proud to see some of IMPALA’s projects featured as “best in class”. 

“The interviews are particularly illuminating as they illustrate how independent labels in different markets share the same unique approach for artists with their expertise, risk taking and investment. This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand why labels are inundated more today than ever before by artists looking for long term partners. It is the first piece of comprehensive research devoted to independent labels on this scale. Not only is it the perfect complement to IMPALA’s storytelling features and awards to illustrate the sector in a compelling way, it underpins all our concrete programmes on key issues such as streaming reform, AI, sustainability and inclusion.”

For more information about ORCA and to access “Setting the Stage: How Music Works,” please visit https://www.orcaformusic.com.

About ORCA
The Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts (ORCA) is a global think tank comprised of international independent music labels dedicated to increasing the economic, social, and cultural value of music. Coordinated through the Center for Music Ecosystems, ORCA aims to foster the development of music as both culture and commerce, supporting artists, businesses, and communities worldwide.

About the Center for Music Ecosystems
The nonprofit Center for Music Ecosystems advances research, policy and global thought leadership on how music best catalyzes economic, social, and human development.