LONDON — BPI chief govt Geoff Taylor says he’ll step down subsequent 12 months after greater than 15 years on the helm of the U.Ok. labels commerce physique.
Taylor says he intends to maneuver to a “extra straight industrial position” after leaving the London-based group, though he gave no indication what his subsequent put up shall be.
BPI appointed Taylor chief govt in 2007. The labels commerce physique represents the U.Ok. arms of all three main labels, in addition to British independents.
Taylor’s time on the head of BPI coincided with a interval of transformation within the file trade, pushed by the transition from bodily CDs to digital downloads after which streaming because the dominant strategies of music consumption.
Throughout this era, BPI fought an extended and profitable marketing campaign in opposition to on-line music piracy, acquiring blocking orders for quite a few unlawful peer-to-peer and stream ripping websites. The group additionally negotiated important reforms to world insurance policies for Google, YouTube, Fb and internet marketing networks to higher shield music rights by concentrating on unlawful websites and disrupting their funding.
The UK now has the third-lowest music piracy price on this planet, says BPI, which has submitted multiple billion infringing music hyperlinks to search engines like google for delisting on behalf of U.Ok. artists and labels. In 2020, the group stated it was the world’s second-highest remover of unlawful content material from Google, behind anti-piracy firm Rivendell.
Along with combating piracy, Taylor’s lobbying expertise gained trade and authorities help for the extension of copyright on music recordings from 50 years to 70 years – a serious victory for artists, file firms and performers that was handed into U.Ok. legislation in 2013.
Final 12 months, Taylor gave proof on the Digital, Media, Tradition and Sport (DCMS) Committee inquiry in regards to the economics of music streaming. Showing earlier than committee members, Taylor advocated on behalf of U.Ok. artists and file labels and rallied in opposition to “distortions” within the digital market brought on by UGC providers like YouTube utilizing secure harbor protections to allow them to pay decrease royalty charges than subscription providers resembling Spotify and Deezer.
As chief govt of BPI, Taylor additionally serves as CEO of the BRIT Awards, the U.Ok.’s largest annual music awards present, and the Mercury Prize, its independent-leaning sister occasion, recognizing what judges decide to be the 12 finest albums of the 12 months by U.Ok. and Irish artists.
Over the previous decade, Taylor has steered the modernization of the BRIT Awards, considerably rising its worldwide profile and world attain through partnerships with digital providers YouTube, Roblox and TikTok.
Though U.Ok. TV viewing figures for this 12 months’s BRIT Awards fell to 2.7 million, down from 2.9 million the earlier 12 months, there have been greater than 16 million views of BRIT-related movies on TikTok on the day of the present. Adele’s efficiency of “I Drink Wine” has since been considered greater than 18 million instances on YouTube. (There have been greater than 30 million whole YouTube views of performances from this 12 months’s present.)
Previous to main BPI, Taylor was common counsel and govt vice-president on the worldwide file trade affiliation IFPI. He additionally labored as common counsel at BPI and authorized advisor at IFPI earlier in his profession.
Taylor says he plans to remain within the job till early 2023 — BPI’s fiftieth anniversary 12 months — with the intention to assist BPI’s newly appointed chair Yolanda Brown discover an applicable successor.
In making the announcement, Taylor stated it has “been an amazing privilege to guide the BPI throughout such a transformational interval for British music,” however, after a lot reflection, he has determined “15 years is sufficient for any reasonably sane particular person and that now’s the time to make use of my expertise extra straight in a industrial setting.”
The U.Ok. heads of all three main labels paid tribute.
Tony Harlow, CEO of Warner Music UK, stated Taylor’s “insightful and forward-thinking management benefited the trade because it navigated enormous challenges during the last 15 years” serving to “safe a sustainable and rising music trade in our nation.”
Jason Iley, chairman and CEO of Sony Music UK, stated the outgoing CEO tirelessly “led the BPI with a decent grip on the massive points” and the entire trade has benefitted from its work combatting piracy, showcasing British expertise and campaigning for export funding from the British authorities.
David Joseph, chairman and CEO of Common Music UK, stated Taylor has made “a major contribution to our trade” and thanked him for his “calm management, perception and devoted work in help of labels proper throughout the nation.”
