EMMA announces a new partnership with beatBread to boost the European music management sector

23 May 2024 - Press release

The European Music Managers Alliance (EMMA) is delighted to announce a new partnership with the AI-driven music funding platform, beatBread, that will benefit more than 3,000 managers based across Europe. 

Using an algorithm that uses billions of data points to forecast an artist's earnings potential, beatBread provides a new and unique funding mechanism for creative talent, enabling them to retain full ownership of their rights. beatBread offers advances on existing catalogue as well as new and unreleased music. Advances range from $1,000 to more than $4.5 million, and artists repay their advance as a percentage of their revenue, over a period of time that the artists themselves can set.

With music managers playing an increasingly important role as investors in talent development, the new partnership will kick off with an exclusive online workshop for EMMA members on funding and business building. 

This will take place over Zoom on Tuesday 2nd July at 5pm UK time.

More details here.

Jess Partridge, Executive Director, EMMA:
"We are really excited to announce this new partnership between Europe's music management community and beatBread. At Eurosonic 2024,  EMMA published findings from a groundbreaking new study that clearly identified funding and access to finance as one of the most significant barriers facing our sector. It remains vital for Europe's music entrepreneurs and business builders to be able to unlock new non-traditional sources of finance in order to support the artists, songwriters and talent that they work for. By utilising beatBread's experience and insights, this partnership marks a significant step to empowering managers and realising that goal."

Mark Terry, Head of Artist & Industry Development, beatBread: 
"Artist managers have never had a more pivotal role in driving successful outcomes for artists who are increasingly looking to maintain control of their music, and choice in their marketing, distribution and production partners. Funding and access to finance is therefore a critical skill set for managers, whether their artists are just getting started or have been in the business for years. The new partnership with the European Music Managers Alliance will help us build growth potential for creators, as we continue to empower the independent ecosystem around the world."

Founded in 2018, EMMA acts as an umbrella body and network for 14 national music manager organisations in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK. 

Collectively, these bodies represent over 3,000 music managers in Europe and, through links to allied organisations in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, another 600 worldwide. 

EMMA also provides a focused and representative point of contact for industry, the public and policy-makers - working to engage in and shape influential discussions on the future of music, while providing access to an international professional network of managers, and ongoing opportunities for the professional development for our members. 

The organisation is actively involved in policy and advocacy initiatives on issues such as reform of Europe's music streaming market, the application of Artificial Intelligence, and the viability of international touring. 

One of EMMA's key current projects is EMMpower, a groundbreaking three-year programme dedicated to enhancing the European music management community through research, training, mentoring, and professional development. The project is co-funded by the European Union and is now delivering a regular series of masterclasses, market and genre spotlights, mentoring programmes and networking opportunities.  

In early 2024, at ESNS in Groningen, EMMA published results of the first comprehensive survey on the European music management sector.

https://emma.community