MUSIC
PURPOSE
To collect information about the economic activity of organisations and individuals mainly engaged in the business of music.
DESCRIPTION
The Music Survey was conducted in respect of the financial year 1995-96. Because no comprehensive list existed of organisations and individuals engaged in the business of music, potential data providers were identified from a variety of sources. The primary sources were the ABS business register and the Australasian Music Industry Directory. For the purposes of the survey, the scope of the business of music was limited to record companies and distributors, manufacturers of recorded music, music publishers and sound recording studios. The survey was conducted by mail-out questionnaire.
GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
Australia
FREQUENCY OF COLLECTION
Irregular
DATA ITEMS
Type of activity
Records the activity in which a business was mainly involved during the reference period. The categories are:
Record companies and distributors
Manufacturers of recorded music
Music publishers
Sound recording studios
Main function of studio
Records the main type of sound recording activity being undertaken during the reference period. The categories of activity are:
Music recording, mixing and mastering
Sound production and recording for television and film
Advertising and jingle composition and production
Other
Business size
Indicates whether a business was one of the largest seven when ranked by gross income.
Number of employees
The number of persons employed during the last pay period of the reference period.
Employment type
Types of employment are:
Working proprietors and partners
Salaried directors
Permanent employees
Casual employees
Other employment characteristics
Employment may also be categorised by:
Sex of employed persons
Whether full-time or part-time
Occupation of sound recording studio personnel
Allocates to a number of categories the occupations of persons working for sound recording studios. The categories are:
Managers and administrators
Record producers
Recording and mastering engineers
Studio assistants
Composers and musicians
Other
Income
The items which make up the income of music businesses other than sound recording studios include:
Sales of recorded music product released by the business
Sales of recorded music product distributed via licensing deals with Australian resident businesses
Sales of recorded music product distributed via licensing deals with non-resident businesses
Sales of recorded music product purchased for resale from Australian resident businesses
Sales of recorded music product purchased for resale from non-resident businesses
Fees for packaging and distribution of recorded music product for Australian resident businesses
Fees for packaging and distribution of recorded music product for non-resident businesses
Income from the manufacture of recorded music product for Australian resident businesses
Income from the manufacture of recorded music product for non-resident businesses
Income from manufacturing brokering
Sales of sheet music published
Sales from wholesaling sheet music
Commission income from the sale of sheet music
Sales of music videos
Sales of other products
Income from the sale of ancillary rights
Income from artist management
Other services income
Publishing royalties - mechanical
Publishing royalties - synchronisation
Publishing royalties - performing rights
Publishing royalties - other
Sound recording royalties - artist
Sound recording royalties - synchronisation
Sound recording royalties - performing rights
Other income items
Note that not all income items will be relevant to all types of music business.
The items which make up the income of sound recording studios include:
Sales of blank recording media
Sales of other goods
Hire of sound recording studios with recording personnel
Hire of sound recording studios without recording personnel
Audio mastering services
Sound production and recording for television and film
Advertising and jingle composition and production
Sound production and recording for multimedia
Tape duplicating services
Other services income
Other income items
Expenses
The items which make up the expenses of music businesses other than sound recording studios include:
Wages and salaries
Provision for employee entitlements
Employer contributions to superannuation funds
Workers' compensation costs
Payments for manufacture of recorded music product by Australian resident businesses
Payments for manufacture of recorded music product by non-resident businesses
Payments for printing and binding of sheet music
Payments for manufacture of other products
Purchases of recorded music product for resale
Purchases of sheet music for resale
Purchases of other products for resale
Publishing royalties
Sound recording royalties
Net advances to recording artists expensed or provided for
Other net advances expensed or provided for
Advertising, promotion and marketing expenses paid to advertising agencies
Advertising, promotion and marketing expenses paid directly to radio or television
Advertising, promotion and marketing expenses paid directly to print media
Advertising, promotion and marketing expenses paid to retail stores
Other advertising, promotion and marketing expenses
Other expense items
Note that not all expense items will be relevant to all types of music business.
The items which make up the expenses of sound recording studios include:
Wages and salaries
Provision for employee entitlements
Employer contributions to superannuation funds
Workers' compensation costs
Purchases of blank recording media
Payments to freelance record producers
Payments to freelance recording or mastering engineers
Payments to freelance studio assistants
Payments to freelance session musicians
Payments to other freelance personnel
Payments for audio mastering services
Hire of recording equipment with crew
Hire of recording equipment without crew
Advertising, promotion and marketing expenses
Other expense items
Other economic characteristics
Other economic characteristics for which information is available are:
Profit or loss
Value of inventories
Capital expenditure
Disposal of assets
Number of units sold
The number of units of recorded music sold during the reference period.
Format
Records the format in which recorded music was made available for sale. The formats are:
Singles
Compact disc albums
Cassette albums
Vinyl albums
Other format albums
Type of music
The type of recorded music made available for sale. The types are:
Popular
Classical
Other
Origin of artist
Indicates whether the recording artist is Australian.
Destination of sale
Indicates whether sales of recorded music were to Australian resident businesses or non-resident businesses.
Number of titles released
The number of titles of recorded music released during the reference period.
Studio rooms
The number of individual studio rooms operated by sound recording studio businesses during the reference period.
Hours of occupancy
The total number of hours of occupancy of all studio rooms operated by sound recording studio businesses during the reference period.
Geographic area
Data are available for Australia only.
HISTORICAL DATA
The survey has only been conducted once.
DISSEMINATION
Publications
Australian Bureau of Statistics 1997, Business of Music, Australia, 1995-96, Cat. no. 4143.0, ABS, Canberra. Price $18.00.
CONTACT
In the first instance, refer to To obtain data or further information in the Introduction to this directory.
Manager
National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics
GPO Box 2272
ADELAIDE SA 5001
Telephone: Adelaide 08 8237 7326
Facsimile: Adelaide 08 8237 7366
Email: nccrs@abs.gov.au
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