​This book discusses the economics of the music industry in the context of the changing landscape brought about by innovation, technological change, and rapid digitization. The ability of digital technology to reduce the transaction costs of music copyright licensing has all but destroyed the traditional media business models of incumbent Performance Rights Organizations (PROs), music publishers, record labels, and radio and television stations. In a climate where streaming services are rapidly proliferating and consumers prefer subscription models over direct ownership, new business models, such as direct licensing, are developing. This book provides an overview of the economics of the traditional music industry, the technology-induced changes in business models and copyright law, and the role of publishers, copyright holders and songwriters in the emerging direct licensing model. In Part One, the author examines the economic aspects of direct licensing as an alternative to the traditional blanket license for copyrighted musical compositions, with an emphasis on the often monopolistic nature of PROs. In Part Two, the author focuses on the music publisher and the role direct licensing and competition may play in the changing business models in the music industry and the potential benefits this may bring to copyright holders, such as songwriters. To compliment this model, the author proposes a maximum statutory fixed-rate for musical performances to further streamline the royalty process, especially where distributors such as Google and YouTube are concerned. This book adds to the growing body of literature on the economics of music licensing in the digital age. It will be useful to those in the fields of economics and law, as well as music executives, musicians, songwriters, composers, and other industry professionals who are interested in understanding how technology, innovation and competition have reshaped the music industry.​

Knowing the "going" royalty rate for virtually any product is as simple asreaching for the newly published Licensing Royalty Rates, 2013 Edition. This information-packed report details the royalty rates for over 1,500products and services in ten lucrative licensed product categories--art,celebrity, character and entertainment, collegiate, corporate, designer,event, sports, nonprofit and music.Setting a royalty rate too high can scare away potential licensees, whileaccepting a lower rate can cost licensors hundreds of thousands of dollars.Licensing Royalty Rates, 2013 Edition provides all the information youneed to calculate the right rate every time.The data in Licensing Royalty Rates is compiled usinginformation from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. After careful review bya blue-ribbon panel of expert licensing consultants uniquely qualified to knowwhat the appropriate rate range is for specific properties in each licensingcategory, the information is organized into four time-saving sections thatgive researchers fast access to comprehensive statistical and analytical data:Royalty rate listing alphabetically by licensed product --provides adetailed alphabetical listing of products and their suggested rate rangeacross all product categories.Royalty rate listing by international trademark class --lets you quicklyidentify subtle royalty rate differences between similar products withinspecific international trademark classes.Checklist of licensed products and services --offers a quick-reference toproducts with a high potential for licensing.Comprehensive list of licensed products and services --presents adetailed list of all surveyed products and services within a trademark classfor preparing intent-to-use trademark applications.This detailed information gives both beginning and more experienced licensingprofessionals the confidence needed to negotiate the maximum allowable rateregardless of the product, the market and the parameters of the specific dealitself.

The Thirteenth Edition of this powerhouse best-selling text maintains its tradition as the most comprehensive, up-to-date guide to the music industry in all of its diversity. Readers new to the music business and seasoned professionals alike will find David Baskerville, Tim Baskerville, and Serona Elton′s handbook the go-to source, regardless of their specialty within the music field. Music Business Handbook and Career Guide is ideal for introductory courses such as Introduction to the Music Business, Music and Media, and other survey courses as well as more specialized courses such as the Record Industry, Music Careers, Artist Management, and more. The fully updated Thirteenth Edition includes a comprehensive discussion of the streaming revolution, where this predominant form of music consumption stands today and is heading in the future. Rapid changes in music licensingare addressed and how they impact creators, musical work performance licensing, compulsory and negotiated mechanicals, and sound recording licenses. The new edition also analyzes the changing picture of music video and shows how music video has been upended by on-demand streaming. Lastly, there is all-new coverage of COVID-19and how the concert industry has been impacted as well as digital advances that have been made.

Introduction to the Music Industry: An Entrepreneurial Approach is an introductory textbook that offers a fresh look at one of the fastest-changing businesses in the world today. Emphasizing the importance of entrepreneurial thinking for the music industry, this textbook engages college-level students in learning the fundamentals of the music business while discovering ways to shape the industry’s future. Every chapter explores the inner workings of the music industry, using creative problem-solving exercises, discussion questions, collaborative projects, case studies, hands-on activities, and inspiring stories of actual music entrepreneurs. The textbook’s companion website provides multi-media content, study guides, and an instructor’s manual with lesson plans and suggestions for assessing students’ work. This book will be beneficial to students who want to learn the basics of the music industry and be involved in some way, whether a professional working in support of artists, or an artist trying to launch his or her performing career.

All You Need to Know About the Music Business by veteran music lawyer Don Passman—dubbed “the industry bible” by the Los Angeles Times—is now updated to address the biggest transformation of the music industry yet: streaming. For more than twenty-five years, All You Need to Know About the Music Business has been universally regarded as the definitive guide to the music industry. Now in its tenth edition, Donald Passman leads novices and experts alike through what has been the most profound change in the music business since the days of wax cylinders and piano rolls. For the first time in history, music is no longer monetized by selling something—it’s monetized by how many times listeners stream a song. And that completely changes the ecosystem of the business, as Passman explains in detail. Since the advent of file-sharing technology in the late 1990s to the creation of the iPod, the music industry has been teetering on the brink of a major transformation—and with the newest switch to streaming music, this change has finally come to pass. Passman’s comprehensive guide offers timely, authoritative information from how to select and hire a winning team of advisors and structure their commissions and fees; navigate the ins and outs of record deals, songwriting, publishing, and copyrights; maximize concert, touring, and merchandising deals; and how the game is played in a streaming world. “If you want to be in music, you have to read this book,” says Adam Levine, lead singer and guitarist of Maroon 5. With its proven track record, this updated edition of All You Need to Know About the Music Business is more essential than ever for musicians, songwriters, lawyers, agents, promoters, publishers, executives, and managers—anyone trying to navigate the rapid transformation of the industry.

Two of the objectives of the Chinese Copyright Law are to protect the copyright of authors to their literary and artistic works and encourage the creation and dissemination of works. In practice, however, in spite of the existence of the Music Copyright Society of China ('MCSC') that was established to assist with exercising copyright, music creators in China remain in need of help to protect and manage their fragmented copyright. The MCSC was the first collective management organisation ('CMO') in mainland China and is the only CMO in the field of musical works. While there is a large music industry and copyright business in China, the MCSC only had 11,356 members at the end of 2021. The third amendment of the Chinese Copyright Law was initiated in 2011 and came into effect in June 2021 after a long debate for almost ten years. The discussion of the third amendment has highlighted the controversial topic of collective management of copyright. This book explores the adequacy of the MCSC as an intermediary representing rights for music creators. The main argument developed in this study is that the work of the MCSC for individual composers and lyricists is hampered by shortcomings in the regulatory regime as well as by a lack of members’ rights to participate in the management of their own rights and by the ineffective international cooperation between the MCSC and other musical CMOs overseas. The analysis is undertaken through a case study approach, comparing the collective management systems of music copyright in China, the United States and Australia and addressing the question of how musical CMOs operate in these countries. Specifically, three perspectives are examined: the regulatory systems designed to limit the misuse of those CMOs’ monopoly, members’ rights in the organisations, and international cooperation between these CMOs. Overall, the main findings of this book suggest that the MCSC in China could work more effectively to protect music creators’ interests. In contrast, although the operational frameworks of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ('ASCAP') and the Broadcasting Broadcast Music, Inc. ('BMI') in the United States and the Australasian Performing Right Association ('APRA') in Australia are not perfect models, the systems in these two countries may at least provide reference points for potential improvement of the regime of the MCSC. The research recommends three courses of action: strengthening the regulatory design overseeing the MCSC’s monopoly, clarifying the relationship between the MCSC and its members while providing the members with the right to manage their own copyright, and improving the international cooperation between the MCSC and CMOs in other countries.

The Live Music Business: Management and Production of Concerts and Festivals, Third Edition, shines a light on the enigmatic live music business, offering a wealth of inside advice and trade secrets to artists and bands looking to make a living in the industry. Previously published as The Tour Book, this new edition has been extensively revised, reorganized, and updated to reflect today’s music industry. This practical guidebook examines the roles of the key players – from booking agents to concert promoters, artist managers to talent buyers – and the deals, conventions, and processes that drive this global business. Written by a touring professional with over 25 years of experience, this book elucidates why playing live is crucial to the success of any musician, band, or artist, explaining issues like: what managers, promoters, and agents do and how they arrange shows and tours; how to understand and negotiate show contracts; how to create a contract rider, and how the rider affects the money you earn from a show; how to appear professional and knowledgeable in an industry with its own conventions, language, and baffling technical terms; and a three-year plan using live performance to kickstart your music career Intended for music artists and students, The Live Music Business presents proven live-music career strategies, covering every aspect of putting on a live show, from rehearsing and soundchecks to promotions, marketing, and contracts. In an era when performing live is more essential than ever, this is the go-to guidebook for getting your show on the road and making a living from music.

From an experienced entertainment lawyer, “a terrific handbook that outlines all the information a fledgling musician or songwriter needs to know” (Booklist). Early in their careers, most musicians find it hard to believe that their band might ever make enough money to fight over. But sooner than you think, success may arrive, and without clear terms that spell out how the band is organized and who controls what rights, your best friends and fellow musicians may become your worst enemies. Anyone who seeks to enter the complex world of the music business ought to know what to do in order to avoid derailing a high-speed ride to the top of the charts. This guide from a longtime intellectual property lawyer can help you get there—without breaking up the band.

Issue 3, Volume 10, of the Northwestern Journal of Technology & Intellectual Property