Join Our Next Strategic Primer Q&A: Spotlight on SoundCloud
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BIMA is delighted to invite all members to the upcoming Strategic Primer Q&A dedicated to SoundCloud, organised by IMPALA and supported by Merlin. 9 April – 15:00 EET / 14:00 CET / 13:00 GMT
This interactive online session is a valuable opportunity for independent labels to dive deeper into SoundCloud’s ecosystem, explore new growth opportunities, and discuss best practices directly with the Music Ally team.
Why join?
- Take part in a live Q&A with industry experts.
- Gain clarity on the key insights and recommendations from the SoundCloud Strategic Primer.
- Identify practical strategies to strengthen your streaming performance.
- Exchange ideas with fellow IMPALA members and sharpen your approach as a community.
The webinar is open to all IMPALA members, so feel free to share the invitation with your colleagues and partners.
Join the webinar
Contact melissa@bima.be to receive the webinar link and/or the SoundCloud Strategic Primer.
WINHUB Francophonie : un rendez-vous incontournable pour les labels indépendants francophones
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Les labels indépendants belges francophones sont invités à participer à WINHUB Francophonie, un événement en ligne qui rassemblera le 19 mai 2026 les acteurs clés de la filière musicale francophone. Une occasion unique de développer votre réseau, d’explorer de nouveaux marchés et de rencontrer des partenaires potentiels dans un format dynamique et accessible.
Ce que WINHUB Francophonie vous offre
Pendant 120 minutes, les participant·es auront accès à :
- Un répertoire international d’entreprises issues de l’ensemble de la francophonie.
- Des sessions de speed meetings pour établir des contacts directs et ciblés.
- Des présentations exclusives sur les marchés musicaux du Québec, de France, de Suisse, du Canada anglophone et d’autres territoires francophones.
Ces interventions seront animées par les associations professionnelles ADISQ, BIMA, CIMA, FÉLIN, IndieSuisse et UPFI, offrant une vision concrète et actualisée des opportunités de développement à l’international.
Informations pratiques
- Date : 19 mai 2026
- Format : en ligne, via la plateforme WINHUB
- Durée : 120 minutes
- Coût : gratuit pour les membres des associations WIN
- Date limite de candidature : 22 avril
Inscrivez-vous dès maintenant en cliquant ICI
Le programme complet et l’appel à candidatures sont disponibles en pièce jointe.
Un projet collaboratif
WINHUB Francophonie est organisé par WIN, en partenariat avec l’ADISQ, BIMA, CIMA, FÉLIN, IndieSuisse et l’UPFI, et cofinancé par l’Union européenne dans le cadre du projet IMPALA Network.
Help strengthen the voice of independent labels
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IMPALA is currently in active discussions with Spotify to improve conditions for independent labels.
To support this work, we are gathering concrete examples of how streaming thresholds impact your releases.
We invite you to take a few minutes and CLICK HERE to complete the form. All data collected is anonymous.
By sharing your experience, you directly contribute to strengthening the position of the independent sector and helping us advocate for fairer terms across Europe.
WIN Announces Its 2026 Board with Strong European Representation, including Belgium’s Geert De Blaere
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Discover the 21 members of the WIN board for 2026 — a year that also marks the 20th anniversary of the organization bringing together the global independent music community.
The Worldwide Independent Network (WIN) has announced the renewal of its board of directors for 2026. This year’s board combines continuity and new perspectives, with representatives from 15 countries across five regions. Europe holds a particularly strong position, including Belgium’s Geert De Blaere (BIMA/N.E.W.S.).
New Chair and Vice Chairs
WIN has elected Mark Kitcatt, CEO of Everlasting Records (Spain), as the new chair of the board. With more than four decades of experience in the independent sector, Kitcatt has contributed to the development of numerous artists and held leadership roles across the European independent ecosystem.
A new development this year is the introduction of two vice chair positions, which will be fulfilled by:
- Marty Ro (Sound Republica, South Korea)
- Cecilia Crespo (ASIAr, Argentina)
These roles aim to strengthen regional representation as WIN continues to expand into new territories.
New Board Members and Acknowledgements
WIN welcomes three new members to the 2026 board:
- David Barnes (Rhymesayers Entertainment, USA) — Director
- Mark Meyer (Random Sounds, Paraguay) — Observer
- Sarah Kesselman (Neon Gold Records, USA) — Observer
Warm thanks were extended to Zena White (Partisan Records, USA) for her six years of service and her impactful three‑year term as chair. WIN also acknowledged Richard Burgess (A2IM, USA), who stepped down from A2IM leadership and from the WIN board after ten years of service.
WIN’s Mission and 20th Anniversary
As WIN celebrates its 20th anniversary, the organization reaffirms its mission: supporting its members in advocating for fair market access and practices, and facilitating cross‑border collaboration to ensure that independent music companies have a global voice in an increasingly consolidated industry.
Founded in 2006, WIN has grown into a key coordination and support body for the independent sector, representing organizations across 43 territories.
Structure of the WIN Board
The WIN board is renewed annually and consists of representatives from independent music companies and trade associations across five blocs: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia.
North America
David Barnes (USA), Gord Dimitrieff (Canada), Ian Harrison (USA), Jason Peterson (USA), Tony Kiewel (USA). Observer: Sarah Kesselman (USA)
Latin America
Cecilia Crespo (Argentina), Francisca Sandoval (Chile). Observers: Felippe Llerena (Brazil), Mark Meyer (Paraguay)
Europe
Dario Draštata (Croatia), Gee Davy (UK), Geert De Blaere (Belgium), Jörg Heidemann (Germany), Mark Kitcatt (Spain). Observer: Helen Smith (Europe)
Asia
Marty Ro (South Korea), Takuya Yamazaki (Japan). Observer: Sridhar Swaminathan (India)
Australasia
Maria Amato (Australia). Observer: Dylan Pellett (New Zealand)
REMINDER: Make sure that your rights are reserved!
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Label members are strongly encouraged to reserve their rights by following our straightforward instructions below.
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All members should let us know once new declarations have been published, and if the labels who have declared would agree to their declarations being published on the repository of declarations set up by IFPI here, which we would also encourage you to do.
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Reserving your rights – Straightforward instructions
The first basic step you should take is to declare on your company website that your rights are reserved.
You can simply copy/paste the draft text which IMPALA have prepared for you onto your label website (it can be on a dedicated page, with a simple link to it on the homepage).
This is a simple step you should take to increase the protection of your rights from unauthorised use for the purposes of AI training or machine learning.
BIMA Digital Distribution Session // STEP III
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Following our previous Digital Distribution & Data Analytics session, we’re glad to invite you to the next step in this series.
This time, we’ll be joined by Pierre Niboyet for a focused session on a crucial topic: How to improve discoverability on streaming platforms and social networks.
Quand
Wednesday 10 December 2025 — 14:00 to 17:00
Waar
IMPALA – European Independent Music Companies Association
37/39 rue des deux églises
1000 Brussels – Belgium
Programme
14:00 – 17:00 // BIMA SESSION #3
Discoverability on Streaming Platforms and Social Networks
with Pierre Niboyet (MatchPlay, ex-Deezer, ex-music-tomorrow)
PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE BEFORE 05.12.2025
In our last session, we explored how digital distribution works, how DSPs operate, and how to use data to better understand performance and adjust your strategy.
This new session takes things further: we’ll dive into what actually drives visibility on platforms like Spotify and TikTok, how recommendation systems work, and how artists and labels can influence them through smart metadata, release planning and audience engagement.
Together, we’ll look at:
- how music discovery happens across editorial, algorithmic and external sources,
- what Spotify and TikTok analyse before and after a release,
- which behaviours and signals really matter for growth,
- how to build a consistent digital strategy that connects your music, your messaging and your community.
The goal is simple: give you practical tools, clearer benchmarks and a more concrete understanding of how to increase your visibility and strengthen long-term audience development.
Pierre Niboyet is an expert in marketing and development in the music industry. Founder of MatchPlay, he has been supporting artists, labels and tech companies with their digital strategy for nearly 10 years. He led the Expli-zik podcast, a benchmark for understanding the challenges of the music business, and contributed to the growth of the start-up Music Tomorrow, notably by signing the three major labels (Universal, Sony, Warner).
Former Head of Artist Marketing at Deezer, he developed innovative tools such as Deezer4Artists, while also working as a speaker (SXSW, MIDEM, etc.). Today, he continues his business development consulting work at Ctrl+Reach.
Suppression de la déduction forfaitaire pour les revenus issus des droits d’auteur et des droits voisins - Waarom is deze maatregel problematisch?
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Schrapping van de forfaitaire kostenaftrek voor inkomsten uit auteursrechten en naburige rechten : Waarom is deze maatregel problematisch?
Vandaag hebben meer dan 39 organisaties die meer dan 100.000 makers in België vertegenwoordigen – waaronder BIMA – een officiële brief aan de regering gestuurd om een uiterst onrechtvaardige fiscale maatregel aan de kaak te stellen: de aangekondigde afschaffing van de forfaitaire aftrek op inkomsten uit auteursrechten en naburige rechten.
Deze beslissing vormt een directe bedreiging voor het economisch evenwicht van duizenden kunstenaars, auteurs en creatieve werknemers. Voor de overgrote meerderheid zijn auteursrechten geen instrument om hun inkomen te optimaliseren, maar een onzekere, onregelmatige en kwetsbare vergoeding die verband houdt met de exploitatie van een werk.
Met dit collectieve standpunt herinnert de culturele sector aan iets essentieels: kunstenaars zijn ook ondernemers die actief bijdragen aan de economische en culturele rijkdom van het land. Hen verzwakken betekent het hele creatieve proces verzwakken.
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Aujourd’hui, plus de 39 organisations représentant plus de 100.000 créateurs et créatrices en Belgique — dont la BIMA — ont adressé une lettre officielle au gouvernement pour dénoncer une mesure fiscale profondément injuste : la suppression annoncée de la déduction forfaitaire sur les revenus issus des droits d’auteur et des droits voisins.
Cette décision menace directement l’équilibre économique de milliers d’artistes, auteur, autrices et travailleures de la création. Pour une grande majorité, les droits d’auteur ne sont pas un outil d’optimisation salariale, mais une rémunération aléatoire, irrégulière et fragile, liée à l’exploitation d’une œuvre.
Par cette prise de position collective, le secteur culturel rappelle une chose essentielle : les artistes sont aussi des entrepreneurs qui contribuent activement à la richesse économique et culturelle du pays. Les affaiblir, c’est affaiblir toute la création.
UMG/Downtown – EC will issue a formal objection
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The European Commission’s preliminary findings confirm that UMG’s proposed acquisition of Downtown raises serious risks for competition in Europe’s digital music market. IMPALA welcomes these conclusions and warns that the concerns go far beyond data issues, threatening market balance and cultural diversity. IMPALA and the independent sector are calling for strong regulatory action.
Strategic Primer : BANDCAMP
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Following the release of the last Strategic Primers (supported by Merlin) on Bandcamp a few weeks ago, IMPALA is organising his usual Q&A session with Music Ally on the 3rd December 16:00 CET / 15:00 GMT.
BIMA Members will be able to talk directly to the Music Ally team and ask questions regarding the content of the primers, discuss opportunities, best practical and strategic recommendations for independent labels.
Please send an email to info(at)bima.be to get the zoom link in order to participate to the session or get your copy of the Bandcamp primer.
Please find below all strategic primer alredy available (Spotify, Deezer, Amazon…) : https://impalamusic.org/strategic-primers/
IMPALA digital projects - Members' survey
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In 2025, IMPALA started a new co-funded work programme as an EU cultural network. As part of this work, we’re exploring ideas for new projects/research topics that respond to the fast-changing digital landscape. The objective is to identify emerging digital needs, tools, and opportunities within the independent music sector, and explore potential areas for new IMPALA’s research and education projects in digital.
Your input will help guide IMPALA’s next steps to ensure future projects are relevant and valuable to members. It will take you about 5 minutes of your precious time.