HELLO THERE. My name is Chris Cooke. I’m an editor, journalist and media entrepreneur. I publish CMU, ThisWeek Culture and ThreeWeeks Edinburgh.

I founded and co-own 3CM UnLimited, a company that champions and supports the content, culture, communication and music industries via media, research and training, educational initiatives, and live events.

Through 3CM and CMU, I have also founded a number of ventures in the music business, including the CMU Insights consultancy, the CMU:DIY future talent programme and the Pathways Into Music Foundation.

I also reguarly advise businesses in the content, culture, communication and music sectors via my 3CM Consulting company.

I work on The Great Escape. I helped launch and develop the Taylor Bennett Foundation. I have dissected the digital music dollar and explained music copyright. I have a free speech about free speech. I keep busy.

This is my website. You can check out stuff I’ve been doing HERE. You can read stuff I’ve written HERE. You can check out my podcasts HERE.

Then read about projects I’ve been involved in via 3CM UnLimited HERE.

Some upcoming events where I will be speaking, moderating or teaching. CLICK HERE for a full list of upcoming and recent events.

30 May: Athens Music Week | Conference Sessions | Athens

01 Jun: Output | Conference Sessions | Belfast

To discuss speaking, interviewing and panel moderation engagements, just drop me an email to chris@unlimitedmedia.co.uk.

CHRIS COOKE is an editor, journalist and media entrepreneur.

He is co-Founder and MD of CMU, a company that helps people navigate and understand the music business. It does this through media like the CMU Daily bulletin, Setlist podcast and CMU Library; consultancy unit CMU Insights, with its seminars, reports and conference sessions; future talent programme CMU:DIY; and the Pathways Into Music Foundation, which supports music educators and talent development organisations.

Via CMU, Chris writes, talks, teaches and consults about the music industry. He leads sessions and discussions at music conferences around the world; guest lectures at various UK music colleges; and curates the core conference strands at The Great Escape showcase festival in Brighton each May.

He also wrote the book ‘Dissecting The Digital Dollar’ and compiled the ‘Music Copyright Explained’ guide for the UK’s Intellectual Property Office.

As a leading expert on music rights and the global music industry, particular areas of expertise include music licensing; music data; music piracy; the streaming business; sync deals; the evolving role of record labels, music publishers, music distributors and artist managers; and the monetisation of the direct-to-fan relationship.

CMU is part of Chris’s business 3CM UnLimited, which champions and supports the content, culture, communication and music industries via media, research and training, educational initiatives, and live events.

Through 3CM he also publishes cultural recommendations service ThisWeek Culture and its sister magazine ThreeWeeks at the Edinburgh Festival; and he helped to launch and develop the award winning Taylor Bennett Foundation, which is enabling more ethnic diversity in the communications industry.

Earlier in his career, Chris worked on a number of research and consulting projects looking at best practice in corporate communications and reputation management. He later led the design and content elements of youth marketing programmes for big brands and managed the content delivery of major music partnerships between leading artists and national newspapers. He also produced fringe theatre shows in Edinburgh and London.

With degrees in both English and Law, Chris regularly writes about, discusses and comments on the music business, intellectual property, and the wider content, culture and communication sectors.

To discuss any of these projects or businesses, or a potential collaboration, or a writing, speaking or consulting project, or for comment on the music, media or communication industries, or maybe just to say hello, do send me an email.

You can contact me at chris@unlimitedmedia.co.uk

In case there is any confusion, I am NOT the sometimes contentious Tamworth councillor, nor the Wirral councillor, nor the Middlesbrough councillor, nor for that matter: the manager of Procul Harum, the Edinburgh University lecturer, the independent film maker, the South African cricketer, the FT journalist, the magician, the ‘Acoustic Lounge’ presenter, the interior designer, or the architect. I keep busy, but not that busy.

LAST UPDATED: May 2023