A new report has revealed that Black music is a “central force powering the UK music industry” – making a commercial contribution of 80 per cent and £24.5billion out of a total £30billion UK market.
The figures were shared in a landmark new report called ‘Black Music Means Business: Driving Economic Growth In The UK’. It was commissioned by UK Music, initiated by the UK Music Diversity Taskforce, and is the first of its kind in Europe: measuring the unique commercial, cultural and community impact of Black Music across 30 years of recorded music (1994 to 2023).
As highlighted by Ammo Talwar, Chair of the UK Music Diversity Taskforce, the aim of the report was to act as a “rallying cry that is a catalyst for ongoing analysis, growth, increased representation, equity and stronger collaboration”, therefore “building confidence in Black music”.
One of the most powerful statistics in the report was that Black music is “the central force powering the UK music industry”, and responsible for a commercial contribution of 80 per cent of the UK market (£24.5billion out of a total £30billion) across those 30 years.
The findings shared its definition of the term ‘Black Music’, describing it as: “Music that has its roots and inspiration derived from the culture, beliefs, traditions and history of Black people and the African diaspora. Encompassing a diverse range of musical styles and practices that originated within the African diaspora, regardless of the ethnicity of the musicians creating and performing them.”
It also shared hopes for the term to be adopted as a standard definition across industry and sectors, and described ‘Black music genres’ as “characterised by distinct rhythmic melodies and harmonic structures that are deeply rooted in African musical traditions, and the storytelling and consciousness of Black communities globally, reflecting their historical, cultural, political and social experiences.”
Breaking down the figures, it reported that 29 Black British genres generated over £1.24billion of the market over the past three decades, and there were 27 Core Black music genres that generated £4.83billion in sales. In terms of genres originating from Black music, there were 72, which have reportedly contributed an estimated £11.94billion (40 per cent) to the market.
While Black music has grown significantly over the past 30 years, equity and representation for Black talent has not seen the same momentum, and the findings also highlighted a lack of support for Black music creators and executives – despite the global success and influence of artists including Little Simz, Central Cee, Dave, RAYE, Stormzy, Sault, Ezra Collective, Michael Kiwanuka, to name a few.
Only 22 per cent of the workforce at senior industry levels identify as Black, Asian or minority ethnic – compared to 46 per cent of London’s population. On top of that, the report also found that Black artists and professionals face disparities in contracts, pay, funding and support, including a documented 20 per cent pay gap.
“Black Music has shaped the sound and global success of British music for decades, yet its true commercial value has never been fully recognised,” said Paulette Long OBE, Vice Chair UK Music Diversity Taskforce.
“This report makes clear that its contribution is undeniable. The data shows that Black Music is a central commercial driver of the UK music industry, but it also reveals a clear opportunity gap,” Long added. “If we want continued growth and global competitiveness, we must invest in the infrastructure, talent, and leadership behind it. This report is both a celebration and a call to action.”
Tom Kiehl, Chief Executive of UK Music added that he wanted the report to “not only be a point of reference but also a basis for facilitating change and positive action through its recommendations”. The company’s Head Of Diversity, Eunice Obianagha, also added that the findings present an “opportunity to work collaboratively to help close inequities, unlock further growth, and work to ensure the UK music industry is fair and reflective of the rich diversity of the talent that powers it.”
After sharing that the findings prove that Black music is a “creative industries driver” and a “valuable soft power asset for the UK”, the study went on to recommend eight steps that will need to be taken to make the playing field more fair.
These include recognition of Black music genres in schools, a portion of the government’s Music Growth Package to support Black-led organisations, and more. Find the full list below.
The eight steps outlined by UK Music for more balanced representation are:
- Institutional funding & co-design – Support performance spaces and recording studios, Black Music archives and cultural landmarks with institutional funding, co-designed with government.
- Language & genre authenticity – Back the collective use and definitions of the term “Black Music”.
- Music Education review – Recognition of Black Music genres as a core part of school and tertiary education curricula.
- Growth investment – A proportion of government’s £30m Music Growth Package to support Black Music genres, Black-led organisations and enterprises.
- Export development – Call on the Department for Business and Trade to back Black Music internationally.
- Inclusive community access – Integrate Black music into local regeneration plans.
- Robust data collection – Increase investment in comprehensive, evidence-based research on Black Music.
- Develop equitable partnerships between industry and Black Music practitioners.
Check out the full ‘Black Music Means Business: Driving Economic Growth In The UK’ report here.
The findings in the latest report align with those of the ‘Being Black in the Music Industry’ report shared by Black Lives In Music in 2023, which revealed that 86 per cent of Black musicians said there were barriers to progression in their careers.
That study also showed that 63 per cent of Black music creators had experienced direct or indirect racism in the music industry, rising to 71 per cent for racial microaggressions.
The following year, BLIM launched a new survey to tackle bullying and harassment in the music industry, with backing from Nova Twins, V V Brown and more. The backing came shortly after the latter explored what it means to be ‘Black British’ on a single from her fourth studio album, ‘Am I British Yet?’