12/03/2023
Coop Breizh is perhaps the most important seller and creator of specifically Breton recordings, as well as books and numerous other items. Though the article is titled Coop Breizh Turns Up the Sound, the gist of it is that following the covid era, the musical aspect of the beloved cooperative - making and distributing CDs - has faded in financial performance and left debt load on the business.
Founded in 1957, the emergence of CD production and sales by the Coop after purchasing the ARFOLK label, in the 1980s boosted the importance of musical activity up to a 50/50 split with books and other merchandise the Coop produces and/or retails. The emergence of digital piracy, and more recently and much more importantly, streaming services such as Spotifyhave eroded the ability of the business to continue to make and sell recordings.
This is, of course, the same story heard around the world, as exploitative streaming platforms suck up all the cash that otherwise would go to musicians and producers.
Could streaming services quash the broad ability of musicians to make and record their art at a high level? Yes, quite possibly.
The article states that the percent split in sales between books and other merchandise versus music has now shifted to 90/10. The Coop is responding to this unfortunate reality by spinning off the highly respected music aspect into an associated but independent entity, almost certainly to protect the parent company from incurring further destabilizing debt. One can only hope that they have success in this effort and can maintain some degree of the musical production that has been central to the entire genre of Breton music, the livelihoods of countless musicians, and the listening pleasure of innumerable fans the world over.
~ Fañch
