MUSQ: The First Pure-Play Music ETF | Global Streaming, Live Events & Copyright Royalties
For investors, ETF analysts, and music-industry enthusiasts — this New to The Street: Investor Event Special features David Schulhof, Founder & CEO of MUSQ, the first and only pure-play Music Industry ETF offering global exposure across streaming, live events, ticketing, publishing, equipment, K-Pop, and copyright ownership.
Schulhof — a 30-year veteran of music investing, former private-equity founder, and executive at LiveOne, Evergreen, and multiple film studios — explains how MUSQ gives investors one diversified vehicle to participate in the explosive growth of music worldwide. The fund tracks companies across the U.S., Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and emerging markets, combining small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap names in a single portfolio.
Why Music Is a Massive Investment Opportunity
The global music industry is $103B today, set to reach $200B by 2030 (Goldman Sachs).
Streaming is growing 10–15{d450b60efc35a2e17361b5d57bc194208ff1ac62c46bd45a026f4271e6a4dcc4} annually in the U.S. and 25–50{d450b60efc35a2e17361b5d57bc194208ff1ac62c46bd45a026f4271e6a4dcc4} in emerging markets as smartphone penetration rises.
Live music revenue has soared — with blockbuster tours from Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Coldplay, Kendrick Lamar, and the rise of mega-venues like the Las Vegas Sphere.
Music remains under-monetized: households once spent 10{d450b60efc35a2e17361b5d57bc194208ff1ac62c46bd45a026f4271e6a4dcc4} of entertainment budgets on music; today it’s under 1{d450b60efc35a2e17361b5d57bc194208ff1ac62c46bd45a026f4271e6a4dcc4}, despite access to 200+ million songs for $11.99/month.
What MUSQ Holds
MUSQ invests across:
Streaming platforms: Spotify, Tencent Music, NetEase, Apple, Amazon
Live events & ticketing: Live Nation, Sphere, MSG, Vivid Seats
Record labels & publishers: Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, K-pop companies
Equipment & technology: Yamaha, Dolby, Roland
Global IP owners profiting from song catalogs, royalties, and sync licensing
ETF Construction & Methodology
80{d450b60efc35a2e17361b5d57bc194208ff1ac62c46bd45a026f4271e6a4dcc4} pure-play companies (50{d450b60efc35a2e17361b5d57bc194208ff1ac62c46bd45a026f4271e6a4dcc4}+ revenue from music)
20{d450b60efc35a2e17361b5d57bc194208ff1ac62c46bd45a026f4271e6a4dcc4} diversified companies (20{d450b60efc35a2e17361b5d57bc194208ff1ac62c46bd45a026f4271e6a4dcc4}+ revenue from music)
Quarterly rebalancing; market cap floor: $100M
International exposure capped at 20{d450b60efc35a2e17361b5d57bc194208ff1ac62c46bd45a026f4271e6a4dcc4} per emerging region
No position may exceed 12{d450b60efc35a2e17361b5d57bc194208ff1ac62c46bd45a026f4271e6a4dcc4} of the fund
Performance
MUSQ has been outperforming the S&P and Nasdaq-100 this year, benefiting from rising streaming prices, new global subscribers, massive concert demand, and the boom in artist-centric revenue models.
Schulhof describes music as “too big to ignore — like food and water,” and MUSQ as the simplest, most efficient way to invest in the entire global music ecosystem.
#NewToTheStreet #MUSQ #MusicETF #DavidSchulhof #Streaming #LiveMusic #Ticketing #MusicIndustry #Investing #ETFs #GlobalMarkets #Kpop #UniversalMusicGroup #WarnerMusic #Spotify #TencentMusic #MusicRights #CopyrightRoyalties #GoldmanSachs #EmergingMarkets #MusicTech #EntertainmentInvesting #InvestorInsights #BloombergTV #FoxBusiness #NASDAQ
