US artists once again dominate the singles chart, claiming the entire Top 5 in the latest rundown.
Sabrina Carpenter occupies the Top 3 for a second week, with Chappell Roan and Billie Eilish taking No.4 and No.5 respectively. Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars are at No.7 with Die With A Smile.
In the latest edition of Music Week, we look at the No.1 drought for UK talent in 2024 and the lack of domestic acts making the Top 5.
The absence of No.1 singles by British acts did come to an end during August. Charli XCX’s Guess (feat. Billie Eilish) was the first chart-topper for a UK act in 2024. That was followed by Backbone by Chase & Status and Stormzy, the first entirely British No.1 single of the year (currently at No.6).
But for the last fortnight, Sabrina Carpenter has dominated with the Top 3 singles (three is the maximum for primary artists under chart rules). UK acts in the Top 10 this week include catalogue from Oasis, as well as the Chase & Status/Stormzy track and Kisses by Bl3ss, CamrinWatsin and BbyClose.
While UK talent generally fares better in the album rankings, the relative lack of impact in the singles chart for new releases this year does heighten concerns about domestic artists and breakthroughs in an increasingly competitive global market for music.
Here, AIM interim CEO Gee Davy addresses some of the issues for domestic talent in the UK, particularly for the independent sector...
US acts – both big names and rising stars – have been dominating singles and albums consumption. How concerned should we be about the lack of current releases from UK acts in the upper end of 2024 music consumption for albums and singles?
“There are a number of factors, including some practical considerations such as release cycle timing, that could be involved. Without digging deeper, it would be hard to know whether this is entirely indicative of a long term trend. It is, though, unfortunately not a surprise. A perfect storm of Covid, Brexit and other market effects have been putting financial pressure on UK-based labels and artists, particularly at the smaller scale and from areas and communities which have less financial resources to draw on.
“British music is globally respected but the financial squeeze on UK-based labels and artists, particularly at the smaller end of the market, which cannot rely on corporate reserves or economies of scale, means less budget available for marketing, export or touring. Coupled with a reduction in real terms government funding for some of these activities over time, this means that it has become harder than ever for the UK to compete with other net music exporting nations.”
British acts face increasing competition domestically from international artists on DSPs. How can the UK government as well as labels and trade bodies help to support UK talent? Is independent talent being crowded out by new and catalogue titles from global acts?
“External investment seen in the music space has almost exclusively been on global catalogue acquisitions, which has had the effect of reducing opportunities for emerging and independent British artists. Some recent streaming reforms, which have the unintended consequence of financially impacting emerging artists and particular genres, may add to this effect, compounding the issue.
“We urge the UK government to understand that now is the moment to step in and speedily add music creation to the tax credit schemes which have been so successful in reviving and growing the UK’s film and gaming sectors. In addition, the government should commit to multi-year funding and increasing its support for trade missions and export funding, such as the Music Export Growth Scheme and British Council programmes.”
The global picture in terms of streaming is the growth of local genres and artists in terms of their domestic consumption. Why isn't the UK experiencing the same trend? Homegrown rap, for example, seems to have made less impact this year.
“Some of this is no doubt connected to changes in tastes and trends, but developing homegrown success depends on securing coverage and exposure to gain attention and build audiences. This requires resource and investment. The power of the media and platforms in gaining this reach should also not be underestimated. Several artists who played top spots at Glastonbury subsequently benefited from the BBC coverage, both broadcast and through their online platform channels, and further media attention. This helped drive chart success for older releases and catalogue over newer.”
Homegrown talent and those who support their careers must get the attention they need to find and drive revenues back into the UK’s music economy
Gee Davy
Are enough UK acts being developed in the UK? Is the independent sector a crucial area for new homegrown talent right now?
“The independent sector has long been recognised as the crucial talent pipeline for new homegrown talent in the UK. Technology has democratised access to the market and there’s never been more music and more musicians, but that means that high quality curation is also more important than ever. This has long been a key strength of the independent sector.
“That comes at a cost however, and where there is a squeeze on independent music margins, the sector is less able to propel talent forwards. There are plenty of UK artists being developed but breaking through is harder than ever. With the independent music business reportedly releasing 80% of new music, despite only 31.5% market share, there is a clear need for support for the independent sector to ensure British music can regain its top chart spots.”
The Mercury Prize is a platform for UK and Irish talent - how important is that for amplifying British artists at home and abroad, particularly independent?
“AIM welcomes all opportunities for independent music to be recognised at a high level, including at the Mercury Prize, although, by its nature, it showcases only a handful of acts each year. This is why the AIM Independent Music Awards and the similar independent award ceremonies of our sister organisations around the world, such as A2IM’s Liberas and IMPALA’s 100 Artists to Watch, are so essential for everyone to support.
“Despite slim margins and squeezed resources, AIM’s independent music business members, who are AIM’s main funders, alongside a few key external partners, enable us to achieve high level of recognition for a wide cross-section of independent music artists and the teams that invest in and help them to build sustainable creative careers. This support allows AIM to build partnerships with the BBC, national news, music trade titles and key influencers, to amplify the profile for those who most need and deserve it. This type of recognition and reach is crucial in independent and emerging artists gaining more visibility beyond UK borders to find new audiences around the world.”
The BBC stations have a remit to support UK music but can more be done across TV, radio and streaming to support British talent? How can AIM make the case for more championing of homegrown talent?
“Market data shows consumption has primarily moved online over time, particularly for younger audiences who are more likely to be driving chart positions. This has put the BBC under significant pressure, as its public service broadcasting mandate limits its ability to compete. Alongside a licence fee freeze, there are clear knock-on impacts on the BBC’s resources. Commercial media face some of the same challenges from online platforms, and some streaming platforms have seen layoffs of editorial teams, with expert knowledge leaving emerging music struggling to break through.
“The unique cultural makeup across the UK creates the perfect conditions for great music-making. Music and musicians speak to people’s lives and are important for the nation’s well-being and success and recognition. Homegrown talent and those who support their careers must get the attention they need to find and drive revenues back into the UK’s music economy – to fund investment in diverse future generations of great British music.”
Subscribers can read our report on the chart squeeze for domestic acts in the latest edition of Music Week and online here.
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