Universal Music Group is supporting the Music Economy Development Initiative (MEDI), which was announced at the Global Citizen NOW summit in New York.

The Centre For Music Ecosystems and Global Citizen unveiled the plan to use the power of music to fight extreme poverty and promote responsible and healthy economic development. It will do so by providing data and economic research on emerging economies. 

CME executive director Shain Shapiro said: “719 million people around the world live in extreme poverty, with deeply harmful consequences for their health and life expectancy, as well as their access to education and basic services, among other things. Every tool at our disposal must be deployed to address this dreadful reality. One such tool, which can literally be found everywhere and effectively combats the scourge of extreme poverty, is music. The power of music is manifold: it can inspire humanity and unite us. It can console us and heal us. And music can drive economic growth and create jobs. It can spur responsible economic development to help communities in crisis.

“But this economic development doesn’t happen on its own,” Shapiro added. “It requires the proper infrastructure and legal framework and investment of resources and work-hours to build it. MEDI aims to address this and amplify the power that music can have by providing data, evidence, and research, guiding the development of the systems and policies that can help spur successful and responsible economic development with the proper engagement of the music community and its partners.”

MEDI will conduct and make public research and data through the MEDI portal, outlining both the current state of the music ecosystem and its economic potential, initially in 22 countries. It will use the data to develop evidence and recommendations, enabling partnerships to expand music’s economic potential in Africa and around the world. 

These include Move Afrika, local collaboration, comprehensive market assessments, the development of multilateral and private-sector partnerships, and support for national copyright and infrastructure reform, among other initiatives.

The development of MEDI began at Global Citizen NOW 2024, where a vision was shared for how music can help end poverty and drive economic growth. The inaugural Music Policy Assembly followed on February 24 at the J Randall Center for Yoruba Culture in Lagos, which hosted the launch of MEDI’s first position paper, We Need Tracks Before We Have Trains, co-authored by CME’s Shain Shapiro and music economist Will Page.

Having spent my entire life and career in music, I have always recognised its power as a change agent

Michele Anthony

Moving forward, MEDI will expand the portal to map more countries and quantify the economic potential of recorded music worldwide. It will also launch two pilot studies, one with the Ministry of Culture and Francophonie of Côte d’Ivoire and another with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy of Nigeria, co-financed by the IFC.

Alongside CME and Global Citizen, MEDI’s partners include Universal Music Group and the International Finance Corporation.

Michele Anthony, executive vice president of Universal Music Group and director of Global Citizen, said: “Having spent my entire life and career in music, I have always recognised its power as a change agent. It brings us joy and salves our pain. Medical research shows that it can literally heal us. And, by creating jobs and driving economic growth, it can. 

“That’s why, today, on behalf of Universal Music Group and as a founding member of Global Citizen, I am incredibly proud that together we are launching the Music Economy Development Initiative. This collaboration harnesses music’s power as a force for social and economic change, fighting poverty and building sustainable careers for artists, composers, and the creative community worldwide. This research shows that with proper public policies and infrastructure in place, creative communities don’t just survive, they can truly thrive.”