Music Rights

Music rights can be defined as:

• the right to be compensated for the use of creative works, and share in revenues generated
• the right to license works and control how they are used
• the right to withhold permission for uses of works on artistic, economic or philosophical grounds
• the right to legally protect works from all forms of piracy, theft and unauthorised use
• the right to choose when and where creative works are used for free
• the right to develop, document and distribute works through new media channels, and share in the profits
• the right to profit from performances, whether direct, live renditions or indirect recordings, broadcasts, digital streams
• the right to legislative protection

These rights have been universally recognised.

On a philosophical level, natural law confers these rights on the basis of fairness. Composers and lyricists invest time - often a lifetime - energy, creative passion and sometimes money into creating music, and therefore deserve financial reward. There is also a utilitarian rationale. Without music rights, society at large would be the poorer, with artistic creativity restricted and cultural diversity diminished. At best, we could expect to see a return to the pre-copyright patronage system, wherein the whims and tastes of the select few determined artistic output.

The economic argument for music rights is also powerful. Music is a huge export earner for many countries. In the UK alone the music industry is currently worth over 11 billion USD, supporting more than 130.000 jobs. Music rights are at the heart of that success.

Music rights of course mean nothing in practice without legal backing. Like other intellectual property rights, music rights are protected by copyright.

Copyright varies somewhat according to jurisdiction, but its assumptions are the same: without legal underpinning, music, and by extension, culture and the world economy, would be damaged irreparably. Upholding music rights is in everyone's interests.