From Beat to Bank: Maximizing Your Music's Profit Potential with Music Rights Organizations

Report by Teddy Chief. 

Are you an artist looking to turn your passion for music into a profitable career? With

countless new artists entering the music industry each day, navigating the world of music

copyrights and royalties can be a daunting task. However, registering with music rights

organizations is a crucial first step towards earning money from your music. In this blog,

we'll explore how artists can leverage their music to earn a steady income and the

importance of ensuring that your music is legally protected.

As a creative you need to know about IP, Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the

mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs and symbols, names, and

images used in commerce. The power of intellectual property lies in its ability to protect

and reward innovation by enabling the inventor to reap the benefits of their investment in

ideas. IP can be bought and sold, licensed, used to obtain credit, and transferred on

death. It can also be taxed, seized, or expropriated. With rapidly emerging technology

and the internet, the value and power of IP have become even more critical as these

assets can be a critical component of business strategies. IP protection can allow small

businesses to compete and thrive, and a strong IP strategy can help inventors to earn a

design patent and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Overall, intellectual

property plays a crucial role in promoting innovation, creativity, and economic growth.

Why do lawyers love intellectual property? Because it gives them the license to bill!

Artists need to understand intellectual property rights because their work is protected by

copyright and design rights, and being aware of these protections can help them guard

against their work being stolen or used without permission. Additionally, understanding

intellectual property rights can also help artists secure compensation and revenue streams

associated with their creative work. With many artists now working in digital media,

understanding how content is shared and protected online is essential to safeguarding

their IP and livelihood.

One may ask, “What is the link between airplay, streams and intellectual property for

artists”?

The link between airplay, streams, and intellectual property for artists is that they all relate

to the use and distribution of the artist's creative work, which is protected under copyright

and other forms of intellectual property law. Airplay and streaming are both forms of

distribution and use of the artist's music, and as such, generate royalties and

compensation for the artist through their ownership of the intellectual property rights

associated with their work. Understanding these rights is crucial for artists to protect their

work and promote their financial and creative interests.

Artists registered with performing rights organizations (PROs) like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC

can ensure that they are properly compensated for their air play. It may also be helpful to

promote the benefits of having their music played on the radio and how it can increase

exposure and revenue in the long run. For example, internationally ASCAP (American

Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is a performing rights organization (PRO)

in the United States that represents over 720,000 songwriters, composers, and music

publishers. Its primary function is to collect and distribute performance royalties for its

members, which are earned when their music is played or performed publicly. ASCAP also

provides services like copyright registration, music usage tracking, and royalty distribution

to its members.

In South Africa there are two main performing rights organizations; SAMRO (Southern

African Music Rights Organisation) and SAMPRA (South African Music Performance Rights

Association). SAMRO administers Performing Rights on behalf of its members who are

music composers , authors and publishers, while SAMPRA administers Needletime Rights

on behalf of recording artists and record labels . Both organizations work to collect and

distribute performance royalties for their members when their music is played or

performed publicly.

In Zimbabwe such work is done by ZIMURA (Zimbabwe Music Rights Association), its

function is to protect and manage the rights of musicians and composers in Zimbabwe

and ensure that they are fairly compensated for the use of their music. I strongly

emphasised on the need for artists to register with ZIMURA on last week’s report.

There is need to convert your art into money and there are several ways artists can do this

including these:

1. Commissioned work: Artists can earn money by accepting commissions from clients

looking for unique pieces of art.

2. Licensing their work: Artists can earn money by allowing individuals or companies to

use their artwork for commercial purposes, such as in advertising or on merchandise.

3. Performing live or recording music: Musicians can earn money by performing live or

recording music. They can also earn money from royalties when their music is played

on the radio or streaming services.

4. YouTube monetization: Musicians can earn money from YouTube monetization by

sharing in the profit from the ads that come tagged on their videos. This also includes

other streaming systems like Apple Music, Spotify etc

5. Merchandising: Musicians can earn money by selling merchandise such as t-shirts,

posters and other things related to their music.

Some form of intellectual property protection, whether it be patents, copyrights, or

trademarks is needed for most of these examples. Though you need to be a registered

artist to get international artist to get good paying Live play.

~@calvinteddy Twitter