MEMBER EVENT: Barry Massarsky in Conversation with AMPAL

AMPAL Members are invited to an exclusive inside look at the future of music rights with Barry Massarsky - one of the world’s leading music copyright economists and catalogue valuers.

AMPAL CEO, Damian Rinaldi said: "It’s truly an honour to welcome Barry Massarsky to share his invaluable insights with the AMPAL Board and Members. Barry’s experience in the world of music rights is second to none, and it’s a privilege to hear directly from someone who has helped shape how music is valued globally. Opportunities like this, to gain direct access to one of the best in the business, are rare. We’re looking forward to a rich and insightful discussion that will help strengthen and grow music publishing across Australasia."

Barry Massarsky is a partner and co-leader of the Music and Entertainment Valuation Services Practice of US-based professional services firm Citrin Cooperman. He has over 30 years of experience acting as a key advisor in the music industry serving the valuation interests of music publishing and recording label firms.

He provides strategic counsel to owners of music copyrights, as well as valuation, litigation economics, and performance income review. Barry is known for his high value relationships with performance rights organisations, music publishers, record companies, music industry trade organisations, and music litigation firms.

Barry has pioneered the field of music copyright economics serving revenue-related interests within the U.S. music industry, facilitating strategic opportunities for advancing royalty income, and inspiring new license regimes. His experience also extends to the music production library marketplace where he has led many performing rights initiatives on behalf of both its trade organisation and individual market leaders. Barry has worked with commercial lenders, private equity, and other financial investors who are acquiring music asset rights. Previously, Barry was the founder of Massarsky Consulting, a leading copyright economics consultancy, which joined Citrin Cooperman in 2022. Prior to founding Massarsky Consulting, Barry was a Senior Economist at American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

Barry has lectured extensively on music industry topics at educational institutions and industry seminars, is cited frequently in major news publications and industry journals and is the author of "Operating Dynamics Behind ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, the Performing Rights Societies," which appeared in the Journal of Interactive Multimedia Association in conjunction with the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Barry is regularly quoted by the press regarding music industry matters including New York Times, The Hill, Today Show, Forbes, Billboard, etc.

The AMPAL Member-Only Special Event: Barry Massarsky in Conversation with AMPAL will take place on Monday, 12 May 2025, from 12:00PM to 1:00PM (AEST), virtually via Teams.

Barry will be interviewed by AMPAL CEO, Damian Rinaldi, alongside members of the AMPAL Board.

Together, they will explore:

• The evolving valuation landscape for music rights,

• Market multiples and what they mean for publishing sources,

• Global investor trends shaping the industry, and

• The future of music rights in a rapidly shifting economic and licensing environment.

Barry will also share expert insights into the U.S. performance rights organisation (PRO) market - essential knowledge for publishers managing international revenue streams.

AMPAL members are warmly encouraged to RSVP here to secure their place.

Vote Music 2025: more Australian music, more jobs, stronger communities

Nineteen leading music organisations today launched Vote Music 2025, a national call to action urging all political parties to commit to a stronger future for Australian music, one that delivers more jobs, stronger communities, and ensures great Australian music is heard and celebrated at home and around the world.

Damian Rinaldi, AMPAL CEO said: “The future of Australian music depends on the stories we protect, invest in and share with the world. Music publishers are at the heart of that mission - amplifying local voices, creating careers and exporting Australian creativity globally. Vote Music 2025 showcases an industry united in its vision, ensuring the newly elected government can be guided by this thoughtful blueprint, which supports everyone in the music industry in a harmonised, yet pragmatic way.”

This election is a critical moment for the future of Australian music. The Australian music industry is calling for the next Parliament to build on recent progress and take the next big step so that Australian music is heard, valued, and supported across the country and globally.

Australian music is one of our greatest cultural assets. It drives jobs, tourism and hospitality. It tells our stories, brings communities together, and connects Australia to the world.

In recent years, successive Australian Governments have recognised this value, investing in the industry through COVID crisis support, establishing Music Australia, and launching initiatives like Live Music Australia and Revive Live. These investments have made a real and important difference.

But today, Australians are hearing less and less of their own music. Outdated regulations and policies, declining local airtime across platforms, and a fragile live music ecosystem are putting our next generation of artists and the thousands of jobs that rely on them at risk.

Vote Music 2025 is about futureproofing Australian music so it can continue to power jobs, build communities, and reach audiences at home and around the world.

The Kid LAROI, Rose, Troye Sivan, and Kylie Minogue are topping global charts. Our artists are headlining festivals and songwriters and composers are shaping international pop, art music, screen, and gaming. Our global impact is growing, but without stronger domestic support, that success won’t last.

With the global music industry projected to reach US$163.7 billion by 2030, Australia has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to become a net exporter of music, creating jobs, growing our global voice, and enriching communities nationwide.

We imagine a future where Australian music fills our airwaves, our pubs and venues, our festivals, our classrooms and our global stages. Where artists and industry can build sustainable careers, and music continues to grow jobs and connect communities across the country.

The Australian Parliament’s recent inquiry into live music endorsed many of these priorities. The foundations are there. The momentum is real. Now is the time to act.

Five Priorities to Secure the Future of Australian Music

1. Supercharge Investment in Live Music & Industry Growth

• Secure Music Australia’s future and increase funding to develop and promote artists, grow exports, drive innovation, collect research and deliver songwriting and recording initiatives in schools

• Tax rebates for venues, festivals, and touring artists to boost performances and local economies

• Revive Live expansion to support festivals, regional touring, improve venue infrastructure, and encourage all-ages gigs

• Music pathways for youth through education, touring support, and an under-25 ticket subsidy

2. Strengthen Creative Rights & Innovation

·       Strengthen Copyright and Ensure AI Transparency to protect artists and ensure fair compensation

•  Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property protections for First Nations music and culture

•  Fairer radio royalties by removing outdated caps that limit artist earnings

3. Amplify Australian Music Locally and Globally

• Modernise content quotas to ensure local tunes get radio airplay when it counts and commercial radio plays more Australian music, no matter the format.

• Ensure prominence of Australian music across digital service providers in playlists and through passive listening

• Significant Australian Content (SAC) test and Australian Content and Children’s Television Standards (ACCTS) guidelines reviewed to incentivise screen composition and local music in Australian Government supported screen productions

• A commitment to a quota of Australian content on all streaming video on demand platforms in line with the Revive commitment of 2024.

• Global touring initiatives ensuring Australian audiences see more local artists supporting international acts - restoring a long-held industry norm

• Arena ticket levy to reinvest revenue from major events into grassroots live music

4. Strengthen Communities and Audience Growth

• Support Act investment over the forward estimates to fund mental health and crisis relief services for music professionals

• Digital inclusion programs ensuring all Australians, regardless of location, can access music and creative opportunities

• Public liability reform to help venues operate sustainably

• Workplace safety initiatives to create respectful workspaces for all artists and industry workers

5. Expand Global Exports & Cultural Diplomacy

• Reciprocal cultural programs strengthening ties with Indo-Pacific music markets

• Diplomatic and diaspora engagement leveraging global networks to promote Australian music

• Export grants and visa support making it easier for Australian artists to tour and build international careers

Vote Music 2025: For the Future. For the Music. For Us All.

Vote Music 2025 urges all political parties to commit to a stronger future for Australian music, where more Australians can hear great local music, where our artists are recognised at home and abroad, and where music continues to grow jobs, culture and community across the country.

Read the joint statement and take action here: https://www.votemusic.org.au/

Association of Artist Managers (AAM)

Australasian Music Publishers Association Limited (AMPAL)

Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (APRA AMCOS)

Australian Festival Association (AFA)

Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC)

Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR)

Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC)

Australian Music Centre (AMC)

Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN)

Australian Music Venue Foundation (AMVF)

Australian Recording Industry Association and Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (ARIA PPCA)

CrewCare

Live Music Office

Live Music Venues Alliance (LMVA)

Music Producer and Engineers’ Guild (MPEG)

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office (NATSIMO)

Sounds Australia

Support Act

The Push

AMPAL’s 2025 Round 2 MAICC Funding Recipients Announced!

We are thrilled to announce the recipients of AMPAL’s 2025 Round 2 Music Australia International Conference Contribution (MAICC) – Music Publishers program!   

This game-changing initiative is designed to empower Australian music publishers by providing critical financial support to attend major international music conferences, helping them build global networks, expand market knowledge and maximise opportunities for their songwriters.  

Through MAICC funding, these incredible publishers will be representing Australian talent on the world stage, attending industry-defining conferences across the USA, Spain, India, the Netherlands, Singapore and Finland.   

Congratulations to AMPAL’s 2025 Round 2 MAICC recipients!   

📌 Fergus Jenkins – Dew Process Publishing – LA Sync Summit, USA   
📌 Rachel Kelly – Unified Music Group – A2IM Indie Week, USA   
📌 Mathew Tanner – Concord Music Publishing – All About Music, India   
📌 Charlton Hill – Uncanny Valley – Americana Fest, USA   
📌 Alvin Pandey – Gaan Baksho Music – All That Matters, Singapore   
📌 Art Phillips – 101 Music Publishing – Production Music Association Conference, USA   
📌 Linda Bosidis – Mushroom Music Publishing – IMPF Conference, Spain   
📌 Matthew Donlevy – Cooking Vinyl Publishing – IMPF Conference, Spain  
📌 Karen Hamilton – 120 Publishing – ADE, Netherlands   
📌 Tess Nicolaou – peermusic – ADE, Netherlands   
📌 Adam Dunning – Sunset Club – WOMEX (Worldwide Music Expo), Finland   
📌 Briese Abbott – Kobalt Music Publishing – Music Tectonics, USA   

Charlton Hill (Uncanny Valley), one of our newest AMPAL members and a first-time MAICC recipient, shared:  

“Just a note to say that we are delighted to hear news of our successful MAICC grant application! The timing could not be better for this support, and our plans for Nashville are already in full swing… thank you again for your support in helping us as a publisher to keep building a stronger international pipeline for our current and emerging songwriters.”  

We can’t wait to see the impact these publishers will make on the global stage!  

For more information about MAICC funding and future rounds, visit https://www.ampal.com.au/maicc-2025 or contact maicc@ampal.com.au.  

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia.