Streams generated by Drake & Rihanna‘s material haven’t gone unnoticed by their Universal Music boss Lucian Grainge.
Gearing up to sign new acts he hopes will reach levels created by Sony’s sirens Beyonce and Adele, Grainge thanked the ‘Work’ couple for flying the flag for his business on a global front in an open letter published this week.
Read below…
Dear Colleagues:
I want to take this moment, before the year-end break, to thank each of you for what UMG accomplished in 2016. For yet another incredible year, UMG continued to lead the industry creatively and commercially. What makes our accomplishments even sweeter is that, after a long and difficult transition, the industry is once again seeing growth.
Were I to list all the records we broke and awards we won around the world in 2016, it would take us into 2017, so I’ll highlight just a few:
We had the most streamed artists in the world on Apple Music and Spotify—with Drake and Rihanna scoring the first and second most streamed albums on Apple and Drake, Justin Bieber and Rihanna being the top three most streamed on Spotify. Drake, by the way, for the second year in a row, was the most-streamed artist in the world.
The world’s best-selling CD of the year was by an artist more than 250 years old: Decca and Deutsche Grammophon’s Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition.
In the U.S., we had the four most-streamed albums of the year: Drake, Rihanna, Kanye West and Justin Bieber as well as three of the four biggest album debuts of the year with Drake, J. Cole and The Weeknd. Also, Republic will close the year as Billboard’s No. 1 label.
In Japan, the world’s second-largest market, we had the top two albums of 2016: Utada Hikaru and RADWIMPS.
When it came to awards, we won the most ACMs, AMAs, Billboard Music Awards, CMAs, Oscars (U.S.), Brits (U.K.),JUNOs (Canada), ARIAs (Australia), ECHOs and ECHO Klassiks (Germany) and MTV EMAs (Europe) of any music company.
UMPG not only won top honors at the SESAC Pop Awards and BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, but also struck new deals with Adele, Coldplay, Future, Maroon 5, Pearl Jam, Prince, R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Romeo Santos and Harry Styles, to name but a few.
These outstanding achievements were reflected in our financial results, and we were able to grow our constant currency revenue over the last four consecutive quarters. However, the overall market is experiencing what I would describe as a “fragile” recovery. Which means that not only do we need to do our part in continuing to break new artists and aggressively evolving our business, but if we want to enjoy continued success then we also need to do everything we can to promote competition, innovation and sustainable growth in the broader music ecosystem.
Our ability to support a mix of services—from independent music platforms to big tech players—in order to achieve the appropriate balance between ad-supported and paid subscription models will have a direct impact on our and our artists’ success. To that end, this year we struck important new agreements with Amazon, Pandora and SoundCloud—and more will follow in 2017. Success will also require us to meet the enduring consumer demand for compelling tangible products, from recorded music to artist-related merchandise. Bravado‘s innovative efforts to connect artists and fans led us to create groundbreaking pop-up shops around the world for Kanye West, Justin Bieber and Guns N’ Roses, among others. Those types of initiatives combined with the success we’re having in film and television, live events, VR and direct-to-fan products are redefining our role as a music company and artist partner.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that the work you do at UMG is the single most important catalyst for the growth of our entire industry. It is ultimately your passion and expertise that builds the environment in which a wide range of consumer offerings and a variety of players can ensure that recording artists, songwriters, consumers, labels and publishers all thrive.
Thank you again for all you contribute to UMG. I look forward to working with you to make 2017 another incredible year. In the meantime, I wish you and your loved ones a joyous and peaceful holiday season and a very very happy new year.
Lucian
Next year will dish up Rihanna’s ninth studio ,and see the aforementioned J. Cole continue to push sales of his new album ‘4 Your Eyez Only’ with promotional efforts designed to raise awareness for the set overseas.
But isn’t Anti struggling to sell 600K?
Nothing a struggle about that after giving it away for a week. Nothing struggle about that seeing that it surpassed a billion streams. Nothing struggle about that when her songs are charting and rising despite no promotion. Nothing struggle about to hat when you film three entities, debut several flourishing lines, and sti have down time. A struggle I still purchasing nominations when an album did subpar and singles fell atrociously to the bottom of the barrel. A struggle is a failed mimic ofvnike clothing. A fail is producing an album that was a samples of samples and spoken word that belonged to someone else. A struggle is taking credit for something that you didn’t lift a finger for at all.
Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeead her lmaoo
you better read beyonce! lolol
I am too late to the drag session but you bi-t-ches better stop acting like a BILLION people streamed her music. Bit-ch, if we counting clicks, I clicked play on Lemonade every mother fu-ckin chance I got. You got the same people clicking these same damn songs. Even if Beyoncé didn’t do well on the singles side, it’s only because none of LEMONADE can be streamed and get the streaming boost like most of Rihanna singles. Majority of her sales are STREAMS. Be a real fan and purchase your bi-tch music! Rihanna had one hit song and she has to crank out a new album every year because the bi-tch will be forgotten if she waited 2-3 years because her brand is so weak. Stream this…. her music makes no money…
Did you not read the article? Rihanna is the Queen of Streaming. She doesn’t need sales at this point.
isnt lemon water still struggling for a hit?
Lemonade sold 1.5 million in the states though. Even Views sold 1.5 million in traditional sales. What’s Antis tea?
@rosy please stay on topic sweetie. Lemonade = 1.5 million >>>> Anti 591K
If you want to be technical Rihanna sold just as many albums as both Beyoncé and drake. Almost 1million of samsungs perchased copies of anti were given away in the states. Add that to the 600k she still managed to sale she’s at about 1.6M lol
B**** beyonce gets sue for stealing every other day that is a f****** struggle and pay for play stfu
Only a sad low life ho would start this fan war shiit back up when it totally isn’t necessity.
That Rihanna reign, just won’t let up!!!!!
We’ve been telling them about this reign from 2009 when she release Hard. 7years later and they still don’t understand. She BEEEEEEEN killing the game. Thriving on all platforms, just completely showing her a55.
And a huge f*ck you to the music industry for including streams into album sales, making it easier for the likes of Rihanna to cheat their way up the charts!
Get off the computer granny. Streams are replacing digital sales just like digital sales replaced physical sales. You fossils complained then too, claiming iTunes made it easy for acts like Ke$ha and Katy Perry lol. New era, same old sh*t.
The charts reflect what music is popular and streaming is the most popular way showcasing that today.
I think streaming music is an essential part of today’s charts.
I used to feel the same way, but I’m over it now. Streams are the present and future. Even acts who can still sell albums — Adele, Beyonce, J. Cole, legacy acts like Metallica — will not be able to do so in a few years.
Rihanna and Drake dominated this year in streams. I’ll give fossil stans till mid-2017 before they finally accept the fact that streams are in and digital sales are dead. Just like how digital sales replaced physical sales, they’re being replaced by streams. The industry would be stupid to apply an archaic system of quantifying success and popularity to a new method of accessing music. There will always be that group moaning about the past with that Republican mindset
Oops, queen of adapting …from digital queen to streaming queen. Yes bih ….Queen riri
These uneducated cretins are still groaning about their beloved “digital sales” even when you have declined almost 50% since last are and are currently at their lowest quota (both single and album sales) since 2005/2006?
.
The never learn.
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Congratulations Rihanna and Drake; the royal couple of streaming.
Rihanna was dominating the charts worldwide before streaming. #1 albums, platinum singles, and multiple #1sibgles. People try anything to discredit this woman success.
Wait, what deal did Adele sign? I thought she did a Sony deal?
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Congratulations to Rihanna, amazing year, she was breaking a record every week for months. Told y’all, streaming is the NOW. There’s really isn’t an excuse to flop, if people won’t even click on your music or videos then you’re just not popping. The end.
nobody would have an issue with streaming if it had helped lemon juice do adele numbers.
Lemonade is only available on ONE streeaming site.
Beyoncé Jackson where did you come from you tired a_s raggedy h**. You’re picking a battle not worth fighting. Lemonade is only available on the least popular streaming service… there’s no fight here. You’re making it easy dumb ass.
Rihanna is for sure the Queen of streaming.
The first digital artist. Nobody’s can take that from her.
For now…
Congrats ?
I am so proud of both Drake and Rihanna for being 2 of the only artist who have been able to thrive and stay on top before and after streams became a thing. People quickly use “streams” to downgrade Rihanna’s success as if she wasn’t killing the game before streams even exist. Yall just mad because your favs cant keep up with the times. They are too old.
DUUUUHHH…. #ANTIWasInTheTopTenFor33Weeks #MostStreamedFemaleArtistWorldWideLastYear #SameDamnThingThisYear
A pity her sales never match. But she´s the digital-streaming queen. That counts for something and make her fans happy. Good for you guys!
Yay.
I love how you guys keep mentioning Rihanna is releasing her 9th album next year. Nobody knows that, nor has it been announced our even hinted at. You say that so that you can drag her all year long, saying that her album is ‘delayed’ just like you did with ANTI. I love That Grape Juice, but I would suggest (for 2107) you stop hating on Rihanna so much. It is obvious that the owner of the site does not like her, her music, or what she stands for. That is fine, but stop with the constant hating!!!!
This bish been killing it for years. Streaming or no streaming, what’s new? COngrats
People are so stupid!! If Beyoncé wanted to end Rihanna’s streaming success, she could! She set the record for the highest first week streams in the US and she did so with it being only available on TIDAL!! Y’all dumbasses just don’t get it!! She could really end these girls!! She’s giving your faves a chance! @Istan4talent your girl is lucky! Beyoncé will always be in HIGH DEMAND!!
Nice