fredag 13 Okt 2006, 11:43

Briefly, SoundExchange is the organization put together by the R1AA and the major entertainnment companies to collect royalties for radio performances protected by copyright and to distribute it to the artists. These, indeed, are some of the royalties that could be going to artists, if only SoundExchange could find them.

Unfortunately, many artists will not be getting pizzaid for performances from 1996-2000 if they do not register with SoundExchange by December 15 of this year (2006). SoundExchange was chartered to find these artists or their estates, but apparently they aren't looking very hard. Why? Because if the artists don't register, SoundExchange (read: R1AA and their corporate partners) GET TO KEEP IT!.

How is this royalty situation different than ASCAP and BMI and why should you care?

These are royalties from digital performances and asynchronous radio aggregators–simply put, the royalties from digital cable broadcasts (DMX) and satellite radio (SIRIUS, XM) as well as internet broadcasters such as our beloved last.fm are paid to SoundExchange for distribution. Many of the artists YOU listen to are not getting paid because SoundExchange "can't find them."

Who can't they find? Charles Mingus, Archers of Loaf, Art Blakey, T. Rex, Brand Nubian, Art Blakey, and thousands of others. Here is a comprhensive list of the "missing," which is a long list indeed, but includes many who aren't that hard to find.

Why do I care? An acquaintance of mine, and a man I respect highly, is on this list: Adam Rudolph.

I found out about this through an article by Nashville-based entertainment industry attorney Fred Wilhelms, an outspoken critic of the DMCA.

I believe the article to be reputable. The article describes how Wilhelms offered to help get SoundExchange and artists connected, and how he was delayed, rebuffed, and denied. If you really care that artists get their due, you might consider contacting any of the artists you know on this list and get them involved.