#Institute – International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI)

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members’ organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 1933 by Francesco Braga. It operates a secretariat based in London, with regional offices in Brussels, Hong Kong, Miami, Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Nairobi.

IFPI’s mission is to promote the value of recorded music, campaign for record producer rights, and expand the commercial uses of recorded music. Its services to members include a legal policy programme, litigation, content protection, sales reporting for the recorded music market, insight and analysis and work in the areas of performance rights, technology and trade.

IFPI is governed by its Main Board, a group including representatives from across the organisation’s members (including major and independent record labels), representatives from certain IFPI National Groups and the organisation’s CEO. There are also two regional boards (the IFPI Asia/Pacific Regional Board and IFPI Latin America Regional Board) which oversee regional matters.

Frances Moore is the current CEO. She was appointed the chief executive with a term effective from 1 July 2010. She replaced John Kennedy, who had headed the organisation since 2005 and was also one of the co-producers of Live Aid and Live8. She was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2021 for her services to the music industry.

Members of the international phonographic industry formed IFPI at the industry’s first international congress in Rome, Italy, held from 10 to 14 November 1933. IFPI described its mission as representing “the interests of the recording industry worldwide in all fora” by promoting legislation and copyrights and “to protect the largely British-based recording industry” by promoting a global performance right in gramophone sound recordings.

IFPI represents the recording industry worldwide; there are some 8,000 members across IFPI and its National Group network, operating in over 70 countries and over 70 national groups, affiliated music licensing companies and IFPI offices. According to its criteria, IFPI membership is open to “a legal entity or person which is either a producer of phonograms or music videos, copies of which are made available to the public in reasonable quantities”, though the organisation does not define “reasonable quantities”.

National groups and affiliate bodies include SNEP in France; BVMI in Germany; RIAJ in Japan; BPI in the UK; RIAA in the US; ARIA in Australia; Music Canada; AMPROFON in Mexico; Recorded Music New Zealand; Promusicae in Spain; FIMI in Italy and others. Record labels can be members of both their local industry body and IFPI.