Entertainment

SoundExchange CEO Michael Huppe Joins DMN Pro’s ‘What Is Radio in 2024?’ Event

April 15, 2024

Photo Credit: SoundExchange (Michael Huppe)

Digital Music News is hosting an upcoming event for DMN Pro members focused on the state of radio in 2024. Industry veteran will.i.am will be joining the discussion as a panelist—alongside SoundExchange President & CEO Michael Huppe.

SoundExchange is a non-profit organization established by US Congress and officially started in 2003. Today, it’s a central player in the US-based radio space—the company collects and distributes digital performance royalties on behalf of recording artists, master rights owners like record labels, and independent artists who own their masters. SoundExchange collects these royalties from three main sources—non-interactive webcasters (Pandora), satellite and digital cable TV, and satellite radio services.

This DMN Pro Event focuses on the vast number of formats that fit the ‘radio’ description, including AM/FM, satellite, streaming iterations, and even newfangled concoctions like Spotify’s AI DJ. Huppe’s expertise will come into play in our discussion concerning how non-interactive digital radio fits into this space—as it is a growing segment of what we think of as the radio format.

Huppe will be on hand to discuss a number of complex questions surrounding the radio landscape, including whether traditional radio in the United States will ever pay recorded royalties in the future. Huppe will also lend a critical perspective on whether SiriusXM and Pandora can overcome stagnant growth, as well as the role of newer formats like DSP-based radio solutions. Most importantly, we’ll be asking Huppe and all of our panelists where the biggest opportunities lie in radio – on established, emerging, and not-yet-realized formats.

As CEO, Michael Huppe sets the strategic direction of SoundExchange, overseeing the company’s efforts to launch new lines of business, creating new data and technology solutions in the music industry, and advocating on behalf of SoundExchange’s 500,000+ strong creator community. Huppe’s tenure as the SoundExchange CEO has overseen the annual collection of digital performance royalties on behalf of creators increasing from $292 million to over $1 billion.

Huppe’s leadership has focused SoundExchange on improving payment for creators in the digital space—including royalty rate increases as much as 250%. SoundExchange has also negotiated settlements with platforms to the tune of $168 million over the last decade. The company’s royalty collections now comprise 12% of all U.S. recorded music revenue—with Huppe having unique insight into that process.

Huppe has been a fierce advocate for policies that support creators. He helped play a pivotal role in the passage of the Music Modernization Act of 2018 and served as a lead advocate on behalf of the American Music Fairness Act. As the core principles of what we think of as radio evolve throughout 2024, Huppe is in a unique position to answer ‘what does radio look like in 2024?’