Since 2012, 51beats is registered as a Publisher at the Danish Collecting Rights Society Koda, which has a modern approach to the copyright rights managing, administering and collecting royalties also for artists/publishers who license their works by using non-commercial Creative Commons licenses. 51beats is now applying a flexible releasing approach, on one hand by publishing works under non-commercial BY-NC-ND CC license with artists not necessarily belonging to any collecting right society; on the other hand using a more traditional “all rights reserved” approach, especially directed toward exploitation of commercial uses of musical works. 51beats encourages artists at the beginning of their professional career, to join societies administering also CC-licensed works, so to be able still to freely/legally share the works, at the same time collecting royalties when works are used in commercial contexts.
About a new and modern music releasing/publishing approach …..
Is it possible to fight illegal downloads, to sustain free culture, and to get earnings for both artists and publishers, at the same time ? Here it is a possible strategy ….
Sometimes to give music for free is considered as a signature for low quality works and limited professional level of the labels. This is a widespread feeling in the “more-traditional” music business world. From the point of view of the artist, this is also usually seen as a weak approach, due to the impossibility to get back revenues related to royalties associated with tracks regularly registered to traditional Collecting Rights Societies.
Well, as 51beats we believe an alternative approach is possible, and starting from our release “Horror Pleni” by IDGA, we made an important step into what is, in our opinion a revolutionary music releasing approach. The work is released under a Creative Commons BY-ND-NC 3.0 licence, and we concede it for the free download. Everyone can use this music anywhere as far as it is for a private use/context, thus naturally fighting illegal sharing and supporting an open source approach through the free download. But, at the same same time, the tracks are regularly registered to the Danish Collecting Rights Society “Koda”, meaning that royalties will be collected on the behalf of both the artist/composer and the publisher, when the music will be played in clubs, radio, and in any other commercial context.
We believe this publishing strategy is close to the most intelligent way of releasing music and arts, today, at least when the digital format is the most important tool. It faces from inside the problem of illegal download / sharing of tracks but it keeps hands on the possibility to get paid back when music is used in commercial contexts.
We look forward to comments and feedback from professionals, artists, and journalists so to initiate a constructive discussion on that topic.
PRESS
Workshop “diritto d’autore 3.0” radiobandalarga
[IT] Note su una nuova e moderna strategia di pubblicazione della musica …
E’ possibile combattere i downloads illegali, supportare la diffusione libera della cultura musicale, ed allo stesso tempo garantire dei guadagni per artisti ed editori/publishers ? Ecco una possibile strategia…..
Spesso il rilasciare la musica in free downlaod è considerato un marker di bassa qualità e limitata professionalità delle label. Questo è un concetto fortemente diffuso nei canali più tradizionali del business musicale. Dal punto di vista dell’artista poi, tale approccio è associato all’impossibilità di garantirsi un guadagno legato alle royalties, contrariamente a quanto accade per traccie regolarmente registrate presso tradizionali Collecting Rights Societies.
Come 51beats crediamo che un approccio alternativo sia possibile, ed a partire dalla nostra pubblicazione “Horror Pleni” di IDGA, abbiamo percorso un passo fondamentale verso quello che è, a nostro avviso, un approccio editoriale innovativo ed in qualche modo rivoluzionario. L’album e’ concesso con licenza Creative Commons BY-ND-NC 3.0 e distribuito in free download. Chiunque può usare questa musica come meglio crede in ogni contesto privato, combattendo così in modo naturale lo sharing illegale e supportando la diffusione libera e legale del sapere musicale. Tuttavia, allo stesso tempo, le traccie dell’album sono regolarmente registrate alla Collecting Rights Society danese “Koda”, la quale si occuperà di raccogliere le royalties in nome sia dell’artista/compositore che del publisher, ogni qualvolta la musica verrà suonata in clubs, radio, ed in genere in qualsiasi contesto commerciale.
Crediamo che tale strategia editoriale sia vicina al modo più intelligente di pubblicare opere musicali ed artistiche oggi, per lo meno nel momento in cui il formato digitale riveste il supporto principale. Una strategia che affronta alle radici il problema del download/share illegale della musica, garantendo allo stesso tempo potenziali guadagni nei casi in cui la musica venga impiegata in contesti commerciali.
Attendiamo con interesse commenti e feedback da parti di addetti al settore, artisti e giornalisti, nella speranza di innescare una discussione costruttiva sull’argomento.
p.s.: CONDITIONS FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USES (KODA)
