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Navigating the world of music rights can be overwhelming—especially when it comes to neighbouring rights, which are often misunderstood or overlooked entirely. That’s why we’ve created this Beginner Series: to break things down in a clear, accessible way for anyone new to the topic.Every two weeks, we’ll explore a different aspect of neighbouring rights, helping performers, producers, and rights holders understand what these royalties are, who qualifies, and how to make sure you’re not missing out on income you’ve earned. From the basics of what neighbouring rights are, to claiming royalties, avoiding common mistakes, and understanding international usage and streaming, this series is designed to help you feel informed and empowered.Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refresh your knowledge, we hope this series helps you get the most from your recordings.Stay tuned for the first post called "What are neighbouring rights" which will be released here over the next few days.

Understanding neighbouring rights: Beginner series

Recently, Sweden's Ministry of Justice has announced to implement national treatment remuneration rules for music usage, effective July 1, 2025. This policy change represents a significant advancement in aligning national copyright laws with European Union directives and it ensures that foreign music creators receive the same remuneration as Swedish nationals, promoting fairness and equity in the global music industry.The Netherlands was among the first to respond to the Court of Justice of the European Union's (CJEU) 2020 ruling in the RAAP v. PPI case. By January 1, 2021, the Dutch collection society SENA began implementing national treatment, extending equitable remuneration rights to non-EEA performers and producers, including those from the United States. Similarly, Denmark's collecting society, Gramex, has recently aligned its practices with the CJEU's directive, ensuring that foreign artists receive equitable remuneration for the use of their music within Denmark. ​Sweden's decision to adopt national treatment further underscores the importance of non-discriminatory practices in the creative sector and highlights the evolving landscape of international copyright law. As more countries follow suit, the global music industry moves closer to a fair and equitable system for all creators, regardless of nationality.

Sweden adopting national treatment for artists

LP vinyl record with sound graphic equalizer and musical notes, against black background

For decades, the way performing rights organisations (PROs) have distributed royalties from background music — the kind played in shops, cafés, gyms, hotels and restaurants — has largely depended on estimates, market research, or proxy data rather than direct measurement. That approach was born out of necessity: it was simply not feasible to track every song played in every venue.But as technology evolves, so does the potential to make royalty distributions fairer and more accurate — based on what’s actually being played, in real time.Why it mattersBackground music represents a significant source of revenue for music rights holders. Yet historically, this revenue hasn’t been distributed in a way that reflects true usage. This often leads to:- Overrepresentation of popular, mainstream tracks. - Underpayment to niche genres, emerging artists, or local repertoire. - A lack of transparency in how performance data is collected and processed. By capturing real-world data directly from venues, PROs can better reflect actual music use, benefiting a broader range of creators.Audoo’s approachOne of the most visible companies in this emerging field is Audoo, a UK-based music recognition company focused specifically on monitoring background music in public venues.Audoo has developed a dedicated device — the Audoo Audio Meter — which is installed in venues such as shops, bars and restaurants. These devices continuously and passively recognise music being played using audio fingerprinting technology. Importantly, the system is designed with privacy in mind, capturing only music (not speech) and processing data securely in line with GDPR.Audoo partners with PROs around the world, providing them with high-resolution data to improve the accuracy of royalty distributions. Their goal is not only technological, but also ethical: to ensure that all artists, regardless of popularity, are fairly compensated when their music is played in public spaces.BMAT’s role in the backgroundAnother key player in the music data space is BMAT Music Innovators, a Barcelona-based company known for its audio fingerprinting and monitoring services. While BMAT is best known for tracking music usage in broadcast and live performance environments (such as radio, television, clubs and festivals), they also support background music monitoring indirectly.Rather than deploying their own hardware, BMAT works with collective management organisations to process data provided by background music service providers or third-party monitoring systems. In some cases, this includes data from venues where background music is used, though it is not their primary business focus.In that sense, BMAT plays a complementary role in the ecosystem — enabling PROs to make better-informed decisions about distributions, even if they are not directly gathering background music data at the point of use.A step towards transparencyThe move toward real-time monitoring of background music is part of a broader industry shift toward greater transparency and accountability. Whether through hardware deployments like Audoo’s, or through data processing platforms like BMAT’s, the goal is the same: to ensure that every creator gets paid when their music is played — not just those at the top of the charts.

Towards Fairer Royalties: The Rise of Background Music Monitoring

AI is quickly reshaping our daily lives, including the entertainment we seek in books, films and music. When it comes to the creation of new music, there are some critical issues artists and labels have to address: how to determine ownership, share revenues in a fair way, deal with AI in a responsible way, protection of true artistry. Understanding these developments is essential for artists finding their way in this ever changing landscape.Key Considerations for AI in Music Contracts1. Ownership &amp; AI-Generated MusicWith AI composing and replicating voices, ownership is a growing concern.· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Labels may require artists to confirm whether work is human-made or AI-generated.· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; AI-generated elements (and identified as such) in recordings might be treated as label-owned assets, similar to session musician contributions.2. Use of Artist's Voice &amp; LikenessAI cloning of voices makes rewriting of name and likeness clauses necessary.Some artist contracts grant labels rights to use AI-generated versions of an artist’s voice. On the other hand, artists with sufficient clout manage to negotiate consent clauses preventing unauthorized AI replication of their voice. 3. Revenue Sharing &amp; AI DerivativesFair compensation for AI-generated/enhanced music is under discussion.More and more, contracts now specify how royalties are split for AI-enhanced works. AI Detection Tools may likely be of in case of disputes about the proportion of AI-enhanced/generated elements. 4. AI Training RestrictionsArtists are trying to push for controls over AI training on their past recordings.Some contracts prevent labels from using recordings for AI training without consent.&nbsp; However, other agreements force AI companies to properly license artists’ work before allowing them to upload such recordings. 5. AI Detection ToolsCompanies are developing AI detection technology to protect artists.Platforms like YouTube and Deezer and monitoring companies such as Audible Magic use AI detection to distinguish between human-made and AI-generated music. Future agreements may require verification of track origins. ConclusionAI is transforming the music industry, making it essential for artists to stay informed. As contracts evolve, balancing innovation with creative rights protection is critical. We advise artists to carefully review agreements and seek legal advice to ensure fair treatment in this evolving landscape.

AI and Music Contracts: Key Things to Consider

Hand pointing at the musical score of the heart shape padlock on the chalkboard

Christmas songs hold a special place in our hearts, bringing warmth and joy to the festive season. While they might seem like fleeting traditions—popping up for a month and then vanishing—they’re far more than "one-day flies." Their impact transcends their brief annual spotlight, leaving a lasting cultural and emotional legacy.These songs evoke powerful nostalgia, connecting generations through shared memories of holiday cheer. Classics like Silent Night or All I Want for Christmas Is You tap into universal feelings of love, hope, and togetherness. For performing artists, Christmas music offers a unique opportunity to connect with audiences on an emotional level while showcasing their artistry in a timeless genre.Economically, holiday songs also play a pivotal role in the music industry. They spark yearly revivals in streaming, sales, and licensing, benefiting creators and rights holders alike. This recurring demand ensures these songs remain relevant, proving their enduring value.So, while Christmas songs may dominate airwaves for only a few weeks, their cultural and financial impact resonates year-round. Far from being one-hit wonders, they are enduring symbols of celebration, joy, and unity—a gift that keeps on giving.Happy holidays and happy listening!

The Importance of Christmas Songs: More Than Just One-Day Flies

Conductor's baton and sheet music on black background, closeup view

In early 2024, the UK embarked on a pivotal consultation to potentially revise its copyright laws, particularly focusing on the rights associated with foreign sound recordings and performances. This initiative, led by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), aimed to align UK copyright law with international treaties more effectively.Current Legal Landscape: The UK's existing copyright framework currently offers differing levels of protection for recordings and performances. Recordings can qualify for remuneration if first published in the UK or a qualifying country, or if the producer is a national or resident of such countries. Performances, however, only receive protection if carried out in a qualifying country or by an artist from such country – one that signed the Rome Convention, like the UK.The Government’s Decision: After reviewing industry feedback and assessing economic impacts, the UK government has now decided to leave the current situation intact and additionally extend protection of performances by non-Rome Convention nationals insofar recordings of their performances were made by producers from the UK or Rome Convention countries.The decision is expected to have little impact on industry revenue leaving the UK.&nbsp;The government expects to implement the change in December 2024 via secondary legislation under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.

UK Government Initiates Copyright Law Consultation

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Blog

Understanding neighbouring rights: Beginner series

Sweden adopting national treatment for artists

Towards Fairer Royalties: The Rise of Background Music Mo...

AI and Music Contracts: Key Things to Consider

The Importance of Christmas Songs: More Than Just One-Day...

UK Government Initiates Copyright Law Consultation