DDEX’s THE BIG Summit 2022 Conference and Plenary Meeting to Focus on Rolling Out MEAD Data Implementation

Early Test of MEAD at Amazon Music and Universal Music Group Leads to an Increase in Active and Passive Streaming Behavior

 In Press Release

MIAMI (13 June, 2022) — DDEX, the international standards-setting organization dedicated to improving the exchange of data and information across the music industry, will present The BIG Summit 2022, a full-day event focused on creating and implementing better strategies to more effectively communicate data-related issues to bridge the information gaps that can disrupt the digital ecosystem.

DDEX’s 39th Plenary Meeting will follow The Summit, where DDEX members will discuss the continued adoption of DDEX’s Media Enrichment and Description standard (MEAD) and some of the first results member companies are beginning to achieve.

With MEAD, companies are able to communicate information in addition to core data to help DSPs market products to consumers. This communication, at the moment, is generally from music companies to DSPs in association with the record label’s Electronic Release Notification (ERN) message feed that provides core information about the product for DSPs.

MEAD messages are able to communicate nearly 40 different data points about individual sound recordings, as well as a similar number of data points for musical works, including the release that the sound recording appears on. Examples of the information they can communicate include:

● Categorized genres, moods, and themes
● Vocal register, instrumentation
● Time signatures, tempo and BPM
● Harmonic structure, root chords, absolute pitch
● Awards and historic charting data

The Party Identification and Enrichment standard (PIE), a sister standard of MEAD, enables the communication of nearly 20 data points for the contributors to musical works and sound recordings.

So how does this additional data play lead to increase streams?

During a recent presentation at the Music Biz conference in Nashville, representatives of Amazon Music and Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, shared details about implementing the MEAD standard. The presentations noted that the two companies had carried out “before” and “after” tests, which showed that the addition of high-quality genre and mood data to the DSPs increased streams and decreased skip rates in the 90 days after a track was tagged with the additional information. Results from the tests showed:

• A 4.6% increase in streams:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• An 11.9% increase in streams on Algorithmic Stations and Playlists:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• A 7.8% decrease in skip rate:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the future, Metadata Providers as well as record companies will begin to proactively send MEAD messages to DSPs, separate from ERN message feeds, a development that DDEX expects to result in an increase in streams across the board.

To participate in THE BIG Summit 2022, please register here.

 

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About DDEX

Formed in 2006, DDEX is an international standards-setting organization made up of leading media companies, music licensing organizations, digital service providers, and technical intermediaries that is dedicated to improving the exchange of data and information across the music industry. To support the automated exchange of information along the digital value chain, DDEX has standardized the format in which information is represented in messages and the method by which the messages are exchanged between business partners. These standards help rights holders, retailers, and technical intermediaries to more effectively communicate information along the digital value chain. This leads to efficient business transactions, reduced costs, and increased revenues for all sectors involved. DDEX standards are developed and made available for industry-wide implementation. For more information, visit www.ddex.net.

 

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DDEX Media Contacts @ Jaybird Communications

Laurie Jakobsen, 646-484-6746, laurie@jaybirdcom.com

Zach Gulino, (562) 472-7993, zach@jaybirdcom.com

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