Record Labels/Performers

and

Music Publishers/Songwriters

ASCAP, BMI and SESAC collect for the second, and have standard rates - and their copyright is by far the longest. Legally, you can only play (without paying a royalty) a song written prior to 1922.

Believe it or not, the song "Happy Birthday" which is performed at every kid's party, is in fact still in copyright (I think Warners own the copyright), and technically, a royalty is due on every performance, although I would not like to be the agent who tried to collect it from one of my kid's parties I can tell you.

It is not cheaper to publish US songs in the UK (the rates are standardised) - but it may well be cheaper (depending on the deal) to release US recordings in the UK as the record label rights are often negotiable.

In the UK, these rights expire anyway 50 years after release, so an American label - able to negotiate with an American re-release label without any pressure - find rhat they do not have the same leverage in the UK, where their rights will soon expire anyway and no royalty will have to be paid at all.

So it makes sense to do deals now, rather than see the stuff being re-relased free anyway in a few years time.

But from a radio station point of view - those pesky royalties payable to the publishers and writers, will not expire in our lifetime, for any songs we remember - unless we can remember songs written prior to 1922 (and even I cannot do that).

Incidentally, your site is going great!

Congratulations.

• RE: Royalties - John 10/20/2008 10:40:52 EDT (1)