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)
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.
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.
Executive Summary // Full Report
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.