This is a piece I wrote on the strong cluster of music technology start up companies coming out of Ireland. Ireland is renowned for launching many successful international music careers such as U2, The Script and The Frames and it is also home to some of the most exciting and forward thinking technology companies that are focused on driving opportunity and addressing the challenges faced by the music industry.

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SUMMER 2013 | THE MARKET
DIGITAL MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
T
he global music industry
is adapting to the digital
age at an accelerated
rate, and new models for
creating, consuming and
accessing music are constantly
being introduced into new
markets. This digital landscape
provides both opportunities and
challenges for record labels,
producers and artists. The
internet makes the distribution
of music faster and easier to
access, but issues of piracy
have risen. There is a strong
feeling in the industry that
artists should be rewarded
financially for their work in
the digital environment, just
as they have always been in
the physical world. In spite of
technological advances, the
consumer must accept that
this revolution of choice does
not make music free.
Not only does the internet
create a financial gap for
artists and record labels, it
also creates a shortage of
consumer data. “The music
industry is in flux,” says
Brendan O’Driscoll, CEO of
the music discovery start-up
company Soundwave Analytics.
“It is suffering from a shortage
of data. It used to rely on data
based on physical sales to see
where their customers were
and what they were listening
to. However, now 95% of music
downloads are illegal so the
light has been turned off over
the market.”
In the UK, digital revenues
stand at one-third of industry
income – an important
statistic when one considers
that this surpasses those of
other creative industries (e.g.
film, books and newspapers).
There is a mood of optimism
in the music industry here,
and Enterprise Ireland sees
this as an opportunity for Irish
companies.
Ireland is home to some of
the most exciting and forward-
thinking music technology
start-ups that are focused
on driving opportunity and
addressing the challenges
faced by the music industry.
Thought-leading companies
such as 45sound, Seevl,
WholeWorldBand, Soundwave
Analytics, Mobanode, Huggity,
Riffstation and Ticketfriend are
but a few of the ones to watch.
To highlight this strong
cluster, an Innovation in Music
Technology Showcase is being
run by Enterprise Ireland’s
New Market Entrants Team in
Dublin at the end of May. The
New Market Entrants Team,
based in Enterprise Ireland’s
UK office, works with high-
potential start-up (HPSU)
companies, helping to build
disruptive businesses across
dynamic sectors, including
online, digital and mobile.
Leading music technology
representatives from
companies such as Mobile
Roadie, Mint Digital and Music
Ally will hear about the impact
of digital technology on the
future of the music industry
and learn about new ways
of driving revenue in their
business in the surroundings of
The Sugar Club, one of Dublin’s
most creative music venues.
Topics on the day will range
from digital fan engagement
strategies to collaborative
content creation and music
discovery to mobile festivals.
John Holland, CEO of
audio-visual music platform
WholeWorldBand, is one of
eight speakers on the day who
will share insights into how
companies might change the
music business: “Internet
technology companies and
platforms like Spotify, YouTube
and SoundCloud are changing
how music is discovered and
consumed. At WholeWorldBand
we are looking to enhance the
collaborative composition,
creation and recording of
music,” he told The Market.
Digital was once feared
to be the killer of the music
industry but this mindset is
constantly shifting. According
to the IFPI (International
Federation of the Phonographic
Industry), “the music industry
has grasped the opportunities
of the digital world in a way
few, if any, other businesses
can claim to have done”.
For more information on
Enterprise Ireland’s activity in
the UK music industry, contact
aislinn.mahon@enterprise-
ireland.com
Musictotechnology’searsAislinn Mahon reports that Enterprise Ireland is currently supporting some of Ireland’s most
exciting and forward-thinking music technology start-ups in the dynamic UK market.