New York, NY (06 June 2024) – DDEX, the international standards-setting organization dedicated to improving the exchange of data and information across the music industry, has announced it has signed a liaison agreement with A2IM (American Association of Independent Music) in acknowledgment of their shared interests in identifiers, metadata, and efficient music industry workflows. The same liaison agreements are already in place with other organisations in this sector including, the Association of Independent Music (AIM), the World Independent Network (WIN) and the Independent Music Coalition Japan (IMCJ).
From a DDEX perspective, whilst it has a handful of indie label members, teaming up with A2IM offers a mechanism to communicate more information about the work that DDEX is doing and how it affects the independent label sector. For A2IM members, it offers a route to provide any requirements for DDEX’s standards that are specific or even unique to the independent sector.
“We are excited to be welcoming A2IM into the fold at DDEX as a liaison organisation,” said Mark Isherwood, DDEX Secretariat. “Our liaison organisations are a vital part of DDEX, providng access to music industry companies that may not wish to become members of DDEX. A2IM will be an incredibly valuable asset to our existing members and help advance DDEX standard adoption throughout the music value chain, particularly in the independent music sector.”
“A2IM truly believes in the mission of DDEX and becoming a liaison organisation was a natural next step,” said Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE. “DDEX’s importance to the music industry ecosystem cannot be overstated and we will work alongside them to move the industry forward towards a more standardised and cost-effective data communication environment.”
A2IM is made up of a diverse community that includes music labels of all sizes and staffing levels across the United States, from Hawaii to Florida, representing musical genres as diverse as their membership, including bluegrass, blues, children’s, classical, comedy, country, dance/electronic, gospel, folk, Hawaiian, jazz, hip-hop, Latin, metal, new age, pop, R&B, reggae, roots, soca/caribbean, traditional American, world, and more. For more information on joining A2IM, member benefits, and their community, please visit their dedicated member page: Join A2IM.
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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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About A2IM
A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of more than 700 Independently-owned American music labels. A2IM represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so, it supports a key segment of America’s creative class that represents America’s diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine identified the Independent music label sector as 37.32 percent of the music industry’s U.S. recorded music sales market in 2016 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry sector.