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UK-Based Black Music Industry Executives Form Organisation
Christian Eede , June 10th, 2020 14:45

The Black Music Coalition is made up of figures from companies like Warner, Sony and Live Nation

A number of UK black music industry executives have come together to form a new organisation called the Black Music Coalition, which will campaign for action on systemic racism within the music industry.

The group includes executives from Warner, Sony, BMG, Live Nation, Spotify, and a number of other companies. They launched with an open letter calling for meaningful action from some of the industry's biggest organisations on addressing and combatting racism across the industry and wider society. The letter is addressed to "chairman, CEOs presidents and music industry leaders."

Measures of action suggested in the letter include a call for companies to implement mandatory anti-racism and unconscious bias training; establish dedicated equality and diversity task forces; ensure career development for black members of staff so that there is greater representation across all levels; commit money to black-focused charities and organisations within the UK on an ongoing basis; and replace the term 'urban music' with 'black music'.

"Coming together and talking about [recent events] and our shared experiences caused us to relive the many instances of injustice, racist comments, and marginalisation across our lives including in our experiences within this industry," the letter says. "It is a widely shared belief that the music industry has long been a microcosm for these injustices and they continue to play out within the companies you lead, companies which we are a part of. As a result of the passionate and thought-provoking conversations over the last week; the consensus is clear—the time for change is NOW."

Warner and Republic have pledged to drop the term 'black music' going forward, while the 'Urban Contemporary' category at the Grammys is to be renamed 'Progressive R&B'.

You can read the full letter, and find a list of those who've signed it, via IQ Magazine.