Music Ally Focus The future of record labels – with Midia's Mark Mulligan
Ep. 175: Mark Mulligan of MIDiA Research joins us to talk about labels in 2026. It's jam-packed with great advice for labels of all sizes and ambitions, including:
- The value shift between labels and streaming platforms in terms of the 'ownership' of the music consumer
- How labels should "specialise" - and what that means for the labels who try to do it all
- He advocates for labels to 'nurture' artists with long-term artist development. He explains why – and how a label boss might need to justify a three-year slow-burn strategy when they're under so much pressure to deliver now
- What revenue streams or opportunities might labels be labels ignoring because they're too focused on protecting the streaming status quo?
- There's also a fairly unexpected chat about Nu-Metal, Limp Bizkit, and UK Garage.
Midia report: The future of labels – https://www.midiaresearch.com/reports/the-future-of-labels-shifting-sands
Ride - Vapour Trail – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVhNi5cU8mo
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