1. A&R IS CHANGING

Maybe it’s the streaming effect, maybe it’s the industry finally getting to grips with differing economics, maybe it’s the complete and utter lack of breakthrough acts last year, but the time-honoured A&R process is clearly undergoing some serious review.

Not for nothing did BMG’s Zach Katz declare: “There’s never been a worse time in the history of the music business to be pretty good, because pretty good has zero value today.”

Elsewhere, Republic Records’ Jason Jordan ...