Neighboring Rights Administration: The Horticulture of Music Industry

Neighboring Rights Administration: The Horticulture of Music Industry

In the ever-evolving landscape of music rights management, the process of neighboring rights administration remarkably mirrors the art of horticulture. It's a domain with multifaceted aspects and a cyclical nature, much like the nurturing of a garden.

The Cyclical Routine:

Just as a gardener regularly tends to their plants, we engage in the routine task of claiming rights within societies' portals. This process occurs monthly/quarterly for some societies and semi-annually for others. Adhering to this schedule is crucial for effectively managing the influx of new tracks added to the databases by these societies.

The Growth Challenge:

·       This constant expansion in the music repertoire is driven by several factors:

·       An increasing number of recording artists

·       The rapid pace at which these artists release their recordings (multiple        versions and edits!)

·       The growth in the number of streaming platforms

·       The extensive use of back catalogs or longtail repertoire

Embracing AI in Rights Management:

To manage this burgeoning growth, it's impractical for collectives to rely solely on expanding repertoire staff. Hence, more and more collectives, including the Dutch collective Sena, are turning to AI technology. One notable feature of Sena's portal is its ability to make artist-specific track claims, suggesting tracks that their system believes have been performed by particular artists. While some suggestions are more accurate than others, this tool significantly sharpens our focus and efficiency.

Machine Learning in Track Validation:

Additionally, machine learning technology plays a pivotal role in the track validation process. Although conducting a variety of specific checks within the unclaimed recordings section remains invaluable, this technology substantially lightens the workload for everyone involved.

The Future of Rights Administration:

As we continue to weed through the world’s neighboring rights gardens, integrating technology like AI and machine learning is not just an option but a necessity. It's about working smarter, not harder, in an industry that's as dynamic and fertile as a flourishing garden.