Lack Of A Centralized Song Database Stymies Digital Licensing.

A year after the Copyright Royalty Board set rates for subscription downloads and interactive streaming, digital licensing and payment accounting is still proving to be a trying task in the U.S. marketplace.

Not surprisingly, the lack of a common database containing metadata for all songs is still a big obstacle, even though it should be easier to create one in the United States than in Europe, where there are more than two dozen performance and reproduction rights societies.

It’s a topic that weighed heavily on the minds of panelists at a National Assn. of Recording Merchandisers’ Salon Series event held Feb. 22 in New York. The gathering was the second in a planned series of industry get-togethers that NARM is holding to address issues of concern to member companies.

The discussion “validated the urgent need for the industry to work collaboratively on streamlining business practices and adopting operational standards that will take costs out of the system and help advance the digital marketplace,” NARM president Jim Donio said in a statement.

Digital service providers have to license music and pay royalties directly to publishers for music consumed through subscription services and ad-supported Web sites. As a result, the lack of a central database continues to stymie the marketplace, NARM panelists said. Read the rest of this entry »

RightsFlow will provide global society reporting services for Beatport, the international dance music digital retailer.

Music services that operate internationally are often required to report territorial uses to local performance, mechanical and neighboring rights societies. RightsFlow will facilitate this service for Beatport by reporting to rights societies worldwide. Read the rest of this entry »

New York, NY – March 8, 2010:  RightsFlow, a leading provider of bulk mechanical licensing and royalty services, today announced a deal to provide global society reporting services for Beatport, the leading international dance music digital retailer.

Music services that operate internationally are often required to report territorial uses to local performance, mechanical and neighboring rights societies. RightsFlow will facilitate this service for Beatport by reporting to rights societies worldwide.

“Over the last six years Beatport has helped change how DJ’s get their music globally,” said Matthew Adell, Beatport’s Chief Operating Officer, “With our continued global growth, RightsFlow offers us a comprehensive solution for reporting to rights societies around the world so that we can continue to be a leader in making sure that musicians and songwriters are properly paid and accounted to for their work.” Read the rest of this entry »

The Royalty Network, an independent music publisher and administrator has granted a bulk license for its entire catalog to RightsFlow, a provider of bulk mechanical licensing and royalty services. The deal allows RightsFlow to more accurately identify, account, and remit royalties on behalf of their over 9,500 label, distributor, music service and artist clients. In other moves this year, RightsFlow joined the Digital Data Exchange (DDEX), which was formed in 2006 by major record labels, online music distributors and music rights societies to create standards to facilitate the exchange of metadata.

Read the rest of this entry »

New York – The Royalty Network, a provider of publishing and administration services for independent music producers, has partnered with RightsFlow, a provider of mechanical licensing services and royalty payment technology for online music services, labels and artists. The deal grants RightsFlow a blanket license of The Royalty Network’s entire catalog, which will help RightsFlow account for royalties on behalf of its 9,500 clients. Read the rest of this entry »

Title: Digital Distribution- Getting Paid
Location: Nashville, TN
When: Thursday, March 18th, 2010
Time: 4:00 – 5:00
Where: ASCAP – First Floor Conference Room
Moderator: John Barker
Panelist: Patrick Sullivan, President & CEO, RightsFlow
Maurice Russel, VP Licensing, Collections & Business Affairs, The Harry Fox Agency

Read the rest of this entry »

The Royalty Network, an independent music publisher and administrator and RightsFlow, a provider of bulk mechanical licensing and royalty services, announced a new partnership granting RightsFlow a blanket license for The Royalty Network’s entire catalog.

Read the rest of this entry »

Title: Artist As Entrepreneur In A Digital Age

Location: Toronto, Canada

Link out: Click here

Summary:

It may seem scary out there without a label. On the other hand, if you take charge of your own career, the only “recoupable expenses” you ever have to deal with are ones you personally sign off on. There’ve always been a daring few artist-entrepreneurs. But in the digital age, the path is far easier, and the choice may be fast becoming a no-brainer. Bring your left brain to this session, and find out from the people who’ve crunched the numbers how to handle your own business.

Moderator
Scott Sellwood – SVP of Business Affairs and General Counsel, RightsFlow

Co-Chair
Robb McDaniels – President/CEO/Founder, INgrooves, San Francisco, USA

Panelists
Tony Van Veen – President & CEO, Disc Makers, Pensauken, USA
Richard Gottehrer – Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer, The Orchard, New York, USA
Lou Plaia – Founder/VP Music Industry Relations, Reverb Nation, New York, USA
Jackie Subeck – CEO, Footprint Worldwide , Los Angeles, USA
Tom Jackson – President, Tom Jackson Productions, Franklin, USA

Read the rest of this entry »

Paste Parties in Austin:
11 Bands, 2 Stages, 11:30 AM-5:30 PM
Wednesday, 3/17/10
Galaxy Room: 507 E. 6th Street
RSVP: pastemagazine.com/sxsw10

Read the rest of this entry »

Title: Digital Music Forum East
Location: New York , NY

Time: 4:45-5:30
Link out: Click here

Summary:

PANEL 6B: Rights, Royalties & Reporting in the Digital World
With so many digital products today, the business has become one of micro transactions and the process of licensing rights and collecting, administering and reporting royalties is far from what it should be. This panel will discuss issues related to rights, royalties and reporting in the digital world.  What are the key problems that need to be addressed? What needs to happen to create a better system that provides accuracy, transparency, and accountability for all aspects of rights and royalty administration?

Other Panelists:

Patrick Sullivan, President & CEO, RightsFlow
Michael Huppe, EVP & General Counsel, SoundExchange
Maurice Russell, VP, Licensing, Collections & Business Affairs, The Harry Fox Agency
Richard Conlon, VP, New Media & Strategic Development, BMI
Michael Huppe, EVP & General Counsel, SoundExchange
Moderator: David Oxenford, Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine, LLC

Read the rest of this entry »