UK music streaming faces scrutiny from competition watchdog

Regulators are stepping up scrutiny of the United Kingdom’s music streaming market to see whether there’s enough competition

LONDON -- Regulators are stepping up scrutiny of the United Kingdom's music streaming market to see whether there is enough competition after lawmakers outlined concerns that major online platforms like Spotify may be too dominant.

The U.K.'s competition watchdog said Tuesday that it will carry out a “market study” to assess whether fresh measures are needed to improve streaming competition.

The Competition and Markets Authority is taking action after an inquiry by lawmakers, who said in a report that three major music labels — Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner Music — dominate the U.K. recording market. That allows them to cut better deals with streaming platforms and leaves smaller rivals at a disadvantage, while artists complained they're not receiving a fair share of streaming royalties, the report said.

The watchdog said the review was needed because the way people listen to music has transformed over the past decade, with streaming now accounting for over 80% of all the music played in the U.K.