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Alan Krueger, Former Top Economic Advisor to President Obama, Announces New Research Association to Study Developments in the Music Industry

Alan Krueger, Former Top Economic Advisor to President Obama, Announces New Research Association to Study Developments in the Music Industry

The Music Industry Research Association (MIRA) Will Hold First Conference at UCLA on August 10-11 to Bring Together Top Academics and Industry Leaders

Los Angeles, CA (June 26, 2017) – Today, Alan Krueger, the Bendheim Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University and former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama, announced the formation of the Music Industry Research Association (MIRA) to bring together academics and music industry leaders to study trends and developments facing the music industry. Engaging a cross-section of economists, sociologists, psychologists and other social scientists with decades of experience will help inform the music industry of the challenges it is facing and those on the horizon. MIRA also announced that their first annual conference will take place August 10-11, 2017 at the Luskin Conference Center at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Professor Krueger will serve as President of MIRA. Jeannie Wilkinson, former Senior Vice President of Global Research at Live Nation, will serve as Executive Director.

“I have long been fascinated by the music industry and its ability to evolve and change over time,” said Professor Alan Krueger, President of MIRA. “The music industry is typically disrupted by technological changes long before the rest of the economy. With the emergence of on-line secondary ticket markets and new platforms like iTunes, Spotify and, Pandora, we think now is the perfect time to utilize the skillsets of academics and music industry leaders to chart the path forward and ensure that the music never stops.”

“As someone who has seen the rapid changes in the music industry firsthand, I know how important it is to understand how to adapt to emerging trends,” said Jeannie Wilkinson, Executive Director of MIRA. “We are proud to bring together a diverse set of academic minds and industry professionals to ensure that the music industry can tackle new developments that are disrupting old business models and threatening artists’ livelihoods.”

Finally, MIRA announced two advisory boards to help guide their activities. The first board will consist of top academics to direct MIRA’s research objectives and will include:

  • Marie Connolly, Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, Université du Québec à Montréal School of Management;
  • Julie Holland Mortimer, Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, Boston College;
  • David Reiley, Adjunct Professor in the School of Information, UC Berkeley; Principal Scientist, Pandora;
  • Dan Ryan, Senior Technical Product Manager for Speech Integration, Amazon Music;
  • Alan Sorensen, Professor in the Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin
  • Joel Waldfogel, Professor and Frederick R. Kappel Chair in Applied Economics, University of Minnesota.

MIRA will also include an Industry Advisory Board consisting of top leaders in the music industry. The Board will include:

  • Richard James Burgess, PhD, CEO, American Association of Independent Music;
  • James Donio, President, Music Business Association;
  • Dennis Kooker, President of Global Digital Business & U.S. Sales, Sony Music;
  • Barry Massarsky, President, Massarsky Consulting;
  • Carey Sherman, Chairman and CEO, Recording Industry Association of America;
  • Ron Wilcox, Executive Counsel for Business Affairs, Strategic and Digital Initiatives, Warner Music Group.

To learn more about the Music Industry Research Association, visit www.themira.org. Information about the MIRA inaugural conference and program can be viewed at www.themira.org/conference. To register for MIRA’s first annual conference in August at UCLA, please contact Jeannie Wilkinson ([email protected]) or register online.

 

About the Music Industry Research Association

The Music Industry Research Association (MIRA) brings together a cross-section of researchers, academics, and industry professionals to study critical issues in the music industry.  The association will support and promote social science research that focuses on critical issues affecting the music industry.  MIRA consists of Economists, Sociologists, Psychologists and other social scientists involved in research on the music industry, broadly defined.  MIRA will also help disseminate research findings to a wider audience beyond the research community.  

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Contact: Sam Michel, [email protected]

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.

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