Happy World IP Day. For our 2025 issue, we are exploring the ways music marches to the beat of IP – and vice versa. This year’s focus inspired an exceptional range of story ideas, from voice cloning in Bollywood to the US Copyright Office's stance on AI and human creativity, plus conversations with music creators and essays from industry leaders and innovators.
The focus on music is timely. The latest industry data shows significant industry growth, particularly in regions where piracy was once prevalent. Streaming services and industry associations report record royalty payments and investment in marketing and A&R. Yet, as digital distribution evolves, artists need a greater awareness of their rights now more than ever.
The changing relationship between artificial intelligence (AI), human creativity and copyright only ups the tempo of this already urgent conversation. AI is disrupting business models, while countries like the US work to apply existing laws to strike a balance between technology and human input. Industry leaders such as Sony are striving for harmony between creativity and new technologies while calling for strict licensing deals. And, a technologist examines how AI systems generate music and wonders whether machines could help ensure fair royalties in the future.
Artist compensation features prominently too, with Grenadian soca star V’ghn and Cabo Verdean singer Solange Cesarovna explaining how to effectively navigate IP systems. Elsewhere, we examine China’s music industry and explore the super fandoms of K-pop and their interactions with intellectual property.
There is so much more. The relationship between music and IP strikes so many chords that the coverage of this theme will continue throughout summer. Sign up for our newsletter and stay tuned.
WIPD page for information about the celebration and youth video competition winners
The full WIPO guide to music rights
CLIP, where music creators learn about IP
