Yesterday, I attended Pirate Studios’ online Music Law Series with Nick Eziefula from Simkins. When I booked a drum studio for practice with Pirate Studios last year, I never expected they also hosted these amazing music law seminars.
There will be three more seminars delivered by Nick on 20th May, 10th June, and 24th June. Topics include publishing and administration agreements, management agreements, and brand partnerships and AI. You can book them here on Eventbrite – I highly recommend tuning in!
In yesterday’s seminar, Nick gave a brief overview of the UK music landscape, then dived into record and distribution deals. It was very informative, and my key takeaways are:
- In the UK, PRS for Music collects fees for songwriters, while PPL collects fees for performers on sound recordings.
- Some changes over time:
- Typically in publishing, ownership is split among songwriters, with each having their own share of a song. In contrast, recording rights are usually transferred to the artist or label, so the copyright sits in one place. However, this is changing; it’s now common for artists to retain ownership of their recordings and grant the label an exclusive license instead.
- In record deals, the rights period – the time a label can monetise recordings – used to last for the full copyright term. Now, it’s more common to have terms of 10 to 25 years.
- Previously, labels only made money from releasing recordings. Now, through so-called 360° deals, they also earn from live performances and brand partnerships, like endorsements and sponsorships.
- Some tricky points to watch out for in record deals:
- Acceptance of recordings: Labels usually have the discretion to accept or reject recordings and may choose not to release a track. There is a potential risk that an artist could be stuck with a label and not be able to release their music elsewhere.
- Costs: Always check which costs are recoupable in the contract – these are costs borne by the artist.
I really enjoyed the seminar and am looking forward to the next one in May.
