Digital Indie Music.
Computerized music sites empower indie artists to market their music. Artists can offer extensive libraries of downloadable melodies. This, opens doors for independent groups. Internet offer the chance of presentation to new fans and the likelihood of expanded deals through online retailers. Artists can also release music more often and rapidly when it is made accessible on the web. For example, Wilco has made the new collections available before release. In the event that an artist has officially paid to record, make, and advance their collection, there is almost no extra cost for independent artists to spread their music on the web. Furthermore, artists have the choice of releasing live music or limited edition that would be too expensive to create through conventional means.
While we have been discussing about royalty payments to writers and publishers for public performances of their compositions, it is noteworthy that for a long time, there has not been any payment for performing artists and record labels for public use of their works in the USA. Social media groups have turned into a universal system of music-audience members. Making music accessible to download on the web makes marketing as simple as clicking a button. In spite of this, 90s was by far the best phase for Indie music. When indie artists started to collaborate with producers and directors to make and release videos of their songs and publish an album, the craze for Indie music rose to a whole new level. The small time actors and models who acted in those videos, made the audience drool over their incredibly sexy looks and performances. Some of them are famous stars of today. Such labels kept challenging the majors on the album charts during this period. The videos had a captivating story running on the screen with a song playing in the background, mostly like a mini love story and would make such an impact on the audience that some numbers continue to be our favourites even today; not just because of the music, but because of the story associated with them.
However, with the introduction of ‘Digital Performance Right in Sound Recordings’ in 1995, featured performing artists and record labels became entitled to royalty payments for digital transmissions of their ‘master’ sound recordings. The digital transmissions include satellite radio services, non-interactive streaming services, and non-interactive webcasts. SoundExchange is the biggest PRS in the USA. It focuses on the collection of these funds and pays out 50% of the revenues to the copyright owner, which is mostly the label, 45% to the featured performing artist and the remaining 5% to non-featured artists, like backup singers. Indie artists should sign-up to SoundExchange, as a feature artist or master owner, in order to maximize this revenue stream. SoundExchange has recently switched to monthly pay-out schedule, to enable monthly cash-flow for the artists.
Do not underestimate the income generated from neighbouring rights as it can constitute more than a quarter of successful artists’ royalty income. The diminishing record sale revenues have made this an increasingly important income stream. It has been a pillar for performing artists who do not write but only record, in the countries that enforce neighbouring rights.
The royalties resulting from neighbouring rights are also collected by PRS’, just like the other public performance royalties. Most of the famous international PRS’ that collect your neighbouring rights royalties, are non-profit organizations which are either free to join or charge a small membership fee. Most of the famous artists are connected with these PRS’.
Your entitlement to public performance payments as a performer or master owner are dependent upon a country’s legislation, however, the broad general rule is that you are entitled if the country where you recorded the song enforces neighbouring rights. You are also entitled when the country of residence of the master owner enforces neighbouring rights.
I am going to write more about licensing and royalties in my next blog. Please share your experiences in the comments section and I will add them in my future blogs.
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