Richard Burgess, outgoing President and CEO of A2IM, highlights significant untapped revenue opportunities in the music industry and shares insights on emerging markets during his final year leading the organization.

During his 10-year tenure, Burgess successfully expanded A2IM's membership while increasing board diversity. He prioritized building relationships with trade associations and championed the Protect Working Musicians Act (PWMA), which aims to enable collective negotiations between artists, labels, and industry stakeholders.

Burgess identifies several key challenges and opportunities in today's music industry:

Revenue Generation:

• Industry revenue remains 35-40% below 1999 levels (adjusted for inflation)
• Current revenue doesn't reflect massive audience growth
• Streaming platforms are undermonetizing music content
• Music subscriptions should be priced similarly to video services

Physical Format Success:

• Independent labels generate 42% of revenue from vinyl, CDs, and physical goods
• Major labels earn less than 10% from physical formats
• New technologies and business models are emerging around physical products

Emerging Markets:

• Developing countries show significant growth potential
• India's market is currently 80% ad-supported, 20% paid subscriptions
• Rising domestic revenues in emerging markets will increase global opportunities
• Streaming enables international artist discovery and market expansion

Burgess emphasizes that while people deeply value music, the industry must focus on proper monetization to sustain musicians and creative development. The goal is not just returning to previous revenue levels but achieving growth proportional to today's expanded audience.

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