Impala - Independent Music Companies Association

21/08/2026

🎶 MaMA music convention 2026 Paris – Exclusive IMPALA Member Discount

IMPALA members can access a discounted MaMA Pro Pass, giving you access to all MaMA activities across the three-day event, including the 2-day Convention and 3-day Music programme.

🎟️ Limited to 20 Pro Passes
📅 Offer available until 17 September 2026, or while availability lasts.

👉 The promotional code and registration details are available exclusively to IMPALA members via the conference portal. https://www.impalamusic.org/conferences/

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to join the MaMA Convention 2026!

20/08/2026

✅ Congratulations to Merlin as they announce having completed their acquisition of Curve Royalty Systems from Virgin Music Group with Jamen Capital, following final approval of the transaction by the European Commission.

Read more: https://merlinnetwork.org/jamen-capital-and-merlin-complete-acquisition-of-curve-royalty-systems/

17/08/2026

03/08/2026

☀️ Quiet moment this Summer? Have a look at IMPALA’s EDI toolkit for the independent music sector!

If you’re serious about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), but don’t know where to start, the toolkit provides an overview of where you are in the EDI landscape and what you can do to improve your EDI practices.

The toolkit includes:

- An independent music sector survey on EDI practices. The survey takes about 5 minutes to complete and gives you an overview of recommended trainings and case studies based on your results.

- An online training platform with sector-specific courses. Each course combines factual material, case studies, videos, quizzes and assignments, with certificates awarded to participants who complete the programme. Thanks to the association’s EU network grant, access to the training programme is freely available for all IMPALA members.

🔗
Sector survey: https://tinyurl.com/48ckb2uc
Online training platform: https://vbain.co.uk/mcc/

31/07/2026

We encourage all IMPALA members to join The Music Climate (MCP) Pact webinar on 9 September: 'Navigating Sustainability & Green Claims in the Music Industry’.

IMPALA is an MCP supporting organisation and all IMPALA members can attend.

The main goal of the webinar is to educate and encourage the sector to align on how it can lead in communicating its environmental initiatives with knowledge and confidence.

This is important and timely because new rules on sustainability claims will apply from September 27 this year, which is an opportunity as well as a compliance issue.

If members would like more background ahead of the webinar let us know, we did a short five point summary for members last year.

📆 Wednesday, 9 September, 4pm GMT / 5pm CET

🔗 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/y5h6sj9

30/07/2026

🤖 Earlier this month IMPALA’s digital music plan recommended excluding materially AI generated content from algorithms and royalty pools, with tracks generated by unlicensed tools not uploaded in the first place. Read our Digital Music Plan: https://tinyurl.com/5h2en4xa

The same principles should apply across the ecosystem and this week's announcements on chart rules are in line with this. See IFPI statement on the eligibility of AI tracks in the chart : https://tinyurl.com/4s3erhjy

Reaching industry agreement on labelling and definitions, which was announced a few weeks ago, is foundational, as IMPALA also set out in its digital music plan. See statement introducing new AI labelling programme: https://tinyurl.com/4jctmsve

Stopping dilution gives genuine artists the space to create and the freedom to using AI tools to enhance their music if they wish. An optimal market prioritises human artistry and diversity in all its forms and, as with digital, we see this as a moment for opportunity and collaboration to review overall functioning and ensure an inclusive, diverse and dynamic market.

23/07/2026

Great to see Music Week published an opinion piece by Association of Independent Music (AIM) CEO Gee Davy this week, welcoming new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and urging the government to do more to support the independent music sector. Gee explains why the French model of tax credits is the way forward to support businesses investing in new talent.

The issues raised by Gee reflect many of the priorities in Dan Fowler’s ecosystem report and IMPALA's Industrial Policy for Culture action plan, both setting out how independent cultural businesses can be better supported to grow and invest across Europe.

Great illustration of

Read the op-ed here: https://tinyurl.com/2p9j5836

Read Dan Fowler’s ecosystem report: https://tinyurl.com/5ccrjx8r

IMPALA's Industrial Policy for Culture action plan: https://tinyurl.com/4kpbf4

23/07/2026

Need more help on AI?

Following IMPALA’s Digital Music Plan, which has two chapters dealing with AI, our advice on rights reservation, and a recent note on what to look out for in terms of signing contracts

Check out WIN Worldwide Independent Network's resources for members on copyright exceptions, which have been updated. Copyright Exceptions Related to AI Training, with an overview of the situation in different regions globally, as well as their AI Toolkit on Copyright Exceptions, designed to help associations respond to proposals that would weaken copyright protection or introduce new copyright exceptions for AI training.

More info 👉 winformusic.org/ai/

IMPALA's Digital Music Plan 👉 https://tinyurl.com/bded67u5

23/07/2026

🗣️ How would you describe the independent music sector in ONE word?

💬 Let us know in the comments and tag someone from the sector whose work deserves recognition.

We are asking this question in our interview series to celebrate IMPALA’s 25th anniversary.



🚨 Check out the Faces of the Independent Sector interviews on our ‘IMPALA25’ page 👉 https://lnkd.in/e6VJkcSw

🎙️ Shrina Patel – Merlin
🎙️ Kristiyana Georgieva – ANMIP Асоциация на независимите музикални издатели и продуценти в България
🎙️ Pavle Eftimovski – Runda - Regional Association of Independent Discographers Balkans / Glitch Records
🎙️ Luciano Winter – STOMP / Stormi Capital
🎙️ Céline Lepage – FELIN - Fédération Nationale des Labels et Distributeurs Indépendants / BORN BAD RECORDS
🎙️ Andrea Lacroix – K7 Music
🎙️ Caroline Hansen – Warp Records

👀 More to come later this year

16/07/2026

Artist and label groups from different European markets support EC action to increase the level of rights protection worldwide by:

- introducing proportionate EU legislation confirming reciprocity while accommodating different national systems (such as national treatment)
- encouraging trading partners to introduce a full set of domestic rights

Read our full statement: https://tinyurl.com/36wp385w