News & Stories for Musicians

Music industry campaign prompts action from Government to help protect UK music venues

UK Music, Music Venue Trust and Musicians’ Union welcome new Government legislation to protect music venues.

Published: 14 March 2016

Bristol Live Music Census 2015

Live music generated £123 million for the local Bristol economy in 2015, but many venues are under threat.

Published: 07 March 2016

Let’s Talk About Co-Operatives!

Across the country, co-operatives are saving jobs, providing work and furthering careers. We asked a panel of experts how a co-op could help you.

Published: 02 March 2016

We Need to Talk About LGBT Venues!

Highlights from our LGBT History Month panel discussion on the future of LGBT venues.

Published: 05 February 2016

Live music venues under threat in Aberdeen

Sign the petition to support Aberdeen venues and call on the City Council to adopt the Agent of Change principle.

Published: 03 February 2016

Creative industries worth almost £10 million an hour to economy

UK’s Creative Industries are worth £84.1 billion a year to the UK economy, according to DCMS figures.

Published: 27 January 2016

Working for Longer

It is difficult to talk about health and wellbeing without touching on some difficult questions. We put some of those to the panel at our Orchestra Section Conference.

Published: 21 January 2016

Trade Union Bill in the House of Lords

Over the next few weeks the House of Lords will be discussing the Trade Union Bill, which amongst other things threatens the basic right to strike.

Published: 21 January 2016

MU supporting Bacc for the Future campaign

The MU is joining forces with 160 other organisations to protest against plans to make the British Baccalaureate virtually compulsory and further restrict the chances for young people to study creative subjects.

Published: 18 January 2016

Sustainable Orchestras: Securing the Future

Is there a long-term, sustainable model for financing an orchestra? Find out what the panel had to say at our first ever Orchestra Section Conference.

Published: 14 January 2016

FIM update: European regulation on air passengers’ rights

FIM is calling for musicians’ unions worldwide to put pressure on governments to support musicians flying with instruments, and will be asking musicians to get involved.

Published: 12 January 2016

The MU Pays Tribute to David Bowie

It is with great sadness that we learned about the death of David Bowie, a lifelong MU member and music legend.

Published: 11 January 2016

Disabled Artists Survey: what did we learn?

How easy is it for disabled musicians to do their job? The Musicians’ Union and Attitude is Everything investigate.

Published: 16 December 2015

#YWM15: How to Pitch for Work

Tips on how to pitch for work effectively, taken from our Young Workers’ Month ‘Get the best deal’ workshop.

Published: 26 November 2015

Insight Presentations: Artist Branding

Artist branding tips from Mr. Scruff manager Gary McClarnan.

Published: 24 November 2015

#YWM15: Starting out as a Freelance

Tips on how to get work and build relationships with the people you want to work with.

Published: 23 November 2015

Insight Presentations: Playlisting Strategies

Sammy Andrews considers playlists and playlisting strategies to get your music out there.

Published: 19 November 2015

Recommended Rates & How We Set Them

This Young Workers' Month (#YWM15), one of the issues we are talking about is pay.

Published: 10 November 2015

Tributes to Len Worsley

Tributes to Len Worsley, 29 June 1925 – 15 October 2015.

Published: 31 October 2015

Hague Court of Appeal: CBA applicable to freelance musicians

The Hague Court of Appeal this week struck down a ruling that would have put collective bargaining agreements covering freelance orchestral musicians across Europe under threat.

Published: 17 September 2015

Frances O’Grady at #MUconference: "Together we will win"

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady spoke to members at the MU Delegate Conference about the power of being in a union and the challenges facing us all.

Published: 30 July 2015

Never has collective strength been more important #MUconference

Jo Dipple, CEO of UK Music, spoke to members at the MU’s 36th Delegate Conference about our private copying exception win and the value of collective action.

Published: 27 July 2015

John Smith announced as new Chairman of PPL

John Smith, General Secretary of the Musicians’ Union (MU) and President of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM), will succeed Fran Nevrkla OBE as Chairman of PPL (which is a part-time position) on 1 January 2016.

Published: 22 July 2015

MU endorses Burnham and Flint

The Musicians' Union (MU) has today decided to endorse Andy Burnham for Labour Party leader and Caroline Flint for deputy.

Published: 20 July 2015

Private Copying Exception FAQ

Why the MU challenged the private copying exception and what next?

Published: 20 July 2015

Graphic Equaliser with red and green lights

Private Copying Regulations Quashed by High Court

MU delighted at today’s High Court decision to quash the Government’s private copying exception.

Published: 17 July 2015

MU joins debate on streaming services and remuneration for artists

The MU has joined the debate about streaming services and remuneration for artists that was recently highlighted by the row between Taylor Swift and Apple Music.

Published: 16 July 2015

Frances O'Grady speaking into microphone

MU condemns ‘unnecessary’ Trade Union Bill

The Government has now published its Trade Union Bill, which includes plans to criminalise picketing, permit employers to hire strike-breaking agency staff and a requirement that at least 40% of those asked to vote support the strike in most key public services.

Published: 16 July 2015

Harry Pitch

We are saddened to report the passing of Harry Pitch, harmonica and trumpet player, on Wednesday 15 July 2015.

Published: 15 July 2015

UK music industry wins High Court copyright case against Government

The High Court today ruled against the UK Government in a Judicial Review case brought by the Musicians’ Union (MU), the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) and UK Music.

Published: 19 June 2015

The Future of Grassroots Music Venues

We talked to leading figures about ‘The Future of Grassroots Music Venues’ at The Great Escape 2015.

Published: 12 June 2015

What is FEU Training?

And why do we need it? FEU Training’s Frances swung by MU HQ to talk to young members from across the entertainment sector about how this invaluable training programme could help.

Published: 09 June 2015

Major rights group launches online campaign for artists

In May, four organisations representing more than 500,000 performers in Europe joined forces to campaign for the fair remuneration of online revenues.

Published: 21 May 2015

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House accepts pay deal

Members of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House have voted in favour of a two-year pay deal: 2% for 2014/15 and 2% for 2015/16.

Published: 21 May 2015

TUC Black Workers Conference

The TUC Black Workers Conference was held at Congress House, London on 17-19 April 2015.

Published: 21 May 2015

Support the campaign to save The Arches, Glasgow

Glasgow City Council Licensing Board has ruled that the famous venue can now no longer operate after midnight, the impact of which could lead to the venue shutting down.

Published: 21 May 2015

Review of Entertainment Licensing in Northern Ireland

Environment Minister Mark H Durkan has announced a review of the current entertainment licensing regime in Northern Ireland which has been in place for almost 30 years.

Published: 21 May 2015

Private Copying Judicial Review Heard At High Court

The judicial review of Government’s decision on introduction of a private copying exception without fair compensation to songwriters, composers and musicians, which is in contravention of EU law.

Published: 07 May 2015

Music online: Rights groups launch remuneration campaign

Today, four international organisations representing more than 500,000 performers in Europe joined forces to launch a campaign for the fair treatment of all performers in the digital environment.

Published: 06 May 2015

Vince Sipprell stood behind microphone performing on stage

Tribute to Vince Sipprell

On January 30th, Vince Sipprell passed away at the age of 35.

Published: 22 April 2015

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Music industry campaign prompts action from Government to help protect UK music venues

Bristol Live Music Census 2015

Let’s Talk About Co-Operatives!

We Need to Talk About LGBT Venues!

Live music venues under threat in Aberdeen

Creative industries worth almost £10 million an hour to economy

Working for Longer

Trade Union Bill in the House of Lords

MU supporting Bacc for the Future campaign

Sustainable Orchestras: Securing the Future

FIM update: European regulation on air passengers’ rights

The MU Pays Tribute to David Bowie

Disabled Artists Survey: what did we learn?

#YWM15: How to Pitch for Work

Insight Presentations: Artist Branding

#YWM15: Starting out as a Freelance

Insight Presentations: Playlisting Strategies

Recommended Rates & How We Set Them

Tributes to Len Worsley

Hague Court of Appeal: CBA applicable to freelance musicians

Frances O’Grady at #MUconference: "Together we will win"

Never has collective strength been more important #MUconference

John Smith announced as new Chairman of PPL

MU endorses Burnham and Flint

Private Copying Exception FAQ

Private Copying Regulations Quashed by High Court

MU joins debate on streaming services and remuneration for artists

MU condemns ‘unnecessary’ Trade Union Bill

Harry Pitch

UK music industry wins High Court copyright case against Government

The Future of Grassroots Music Venues

What is FEU Training?

Major rights group launches online campaign for artists

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House accepts pay deal

TUC Black Workers Conference

Support the campaign to save The Arches, Glasgow

Review of Entertainment Licensing in Northern Ireland

Private Copying Judicial Review Heard At High Court

Music online: Rights groups launch remuneration campaign

Tribute to Vince Sipprell