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Garbage black bag background. Pile of black bin bag for garbage, Trash black bag.

Just a way of saying that incorrect or low quality (data) input will always produce poor output. Well, data geeks can discover quite some garbage browsing through the portals of performing right organizations (PROs). Sinde the portals one can find works that have been registered, lists of unmatched works, lists of missing cue sheets and also files containing unidentified works. If nobody identifies and corrects the mistakes, the monies collected for unidentified songs will be held for years until they are liquidated (or added as a lumpsum to distributable amounts). Often songs end up on unidentieds lists because of simple typos. Look for instance at the ways the name of the famous film/TV composer Alexandre Desplat is spelled in just one PRO file: ADESPLAT ADESPLAT ADISPLAT ALEXANDER DEPLAT ALEXANDER DESPLAT ALEXANDRE DESPALT ALEXANDRE DESPIAT ALEXANDRE DESPLANT ALEXANDRE DESPLAT J ALEXANDRE DESPLOT ALEXANDRE DEXPLAT ALEXANDRE PLAST ALEXANDRRE DESPLATSome misspellings, like DEXPLAT, look weird in first instance, but are easy to understand if you consider that on most computer keyboards the X and S are situated next to one another. This also applies to DESPLOT, where the O finds itself close to the P and L keys. Less logical is the N in DESPLANT as the N key isn’t close to any other keys used to type DESPLAT. Other mismatches are caused by the use of the composer’s first initial which is then merged with his last name.In cases like these one would expect the PROs to use string metrics in their matching processes, preferably at the point where the data enters the database. A basic script based on Jaro-Winkler’s metric would already deal with the most obvious mismatches and if machine learning technologies were added even bigger steps might be taken. Quite a nice business to be in for companies like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/noctil---an-enterprise-mobile-application-platform/" data-attribute-index="0" data-entity-hovercard-id="urn:li:fs_miniCompany:2519301" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/noctil---an-enterprise-mobile-application-platform/">Noctil&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/verifimedia/" data-attribute-index="2" data-entity-hovercard-id="urn:li:fs_miniCompany:7945990" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="undefined" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/verifimedia/" data-mce-tabindex="-1">Verifi Media</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/winpure/" data-attribute-index="4" data-entity-hovercard-id="urn:li:fs_miniCompany:2149782" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/winpure/">WinPure™</a>&nbsp;and others.<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=musicindustry&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520" data-attribute-index="6" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=musicindustry&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520">#musicindustry</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=metadata&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520" data-attribute-index="7" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=metadata&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520">#metadata</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=masterdatamanagement&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520" data-attribute-index="8" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=masterdatamanagement&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520">#masterdatamanagement</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=copyright&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520" data-attribute-index="9" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=copyright&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520">#copyright</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=neighboringrights&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520" data-attribute-index="10" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=neighboringrights&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520">#neighboringrights</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=neighbouringrights&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520" data-attribute-index="11" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=neighbouringrights&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520">#neighbouringrights</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=zanoise&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520" data-attribute-index="12" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=zanoise&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6895028034399723520">#zanoise</a>

Garbage in, garbage out (aka GIGO)

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/recorded-artists-actors-performers?trk=public_post_share-update_update-text" rel="nofollow" data-tracking-control-name="public_post_share-update_update-text" data-tracking-will-navigate="" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/recorded-artists-actors-performers?trk=public_post_share-update_update-text">Recorded Artists Actors Performers (RAAP)</a>&nbsp;and PPI (Irish labels’ collective) have been in a legal war for years now. In Ireland, PPI collects all neighboring rights remuneration on behalf of performers and labels. RAAP receives from PPI the royalties due to performers. In accordance with Irish copyright law, RAAP has always paid out to artists who recorded in a Rome Convention (RC) country or are RC citizens. However, PPI also collects royalties for non-qualifying (e.g. US) recordings and 100% of these monies have traditionally been paid by them to record labels (rather than 50% to the record label and 50% to RAAP). RAAP at some point contested this stating any performer shares (including for US tracks) should be paid to RAAP rather than the record label. PPI having everything to lose and nothing to gain dug its heels in the sand. The lawsuit that followed travelled from the Irish Courts to the EU Courts and back to the Irish Courts. All cases proved PPI wrong. However, PPI refused to give up and last week there was another session, this time in the Irish Court of Appeal. Again, PPI didn’t get their way. Instead, the court in fact upheld previous rulings that the right to equitable remuneration under EU legislation must be granted both to EU performers and record labels AND to those who are nationals of other WPPT signatories (the US are a WPPT-signatory). Further it was confirmed once again that both artists and record labels should share in neighboring rights income. It is more than likely that PPI as a last ditch effort will go to Ireland’s Supreme Court. Perhaps it hopes to drag the legal process until new EU legislation (currently lobbied for) will reverse the EU court’s ruling on neighboring rights. Bear in mind the Irish copyright law has still not been changed to reflect the EU court’s rulings, so it seems US artists will have to wait before getting paid Irish neighboring rights monies.&nbsp; More info: <a href="https://lnkd.in/eceRFPHi?trk=public_post_share-update_update-text" rel="nofollow" data-tracking-control-name="public_post_share-update_update-text" data-tracking-will-navigate="" data-mce-href="https://lnkd.in/eceRFPHi?trk=public_post_share-update_update-text">https://lnkd.in/eceRFPHi</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/login?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elinkedin%2Ecom%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fmusicindustry&amp;trk=public_post_share-update_update-text" rel="nofollow" data-tracking-control-name="public_post_share-update_update-text" data-tracking-will-navigate="" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/login?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elinkedin%2Ecom%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fmusicindustry&amp;trk=public_post_share-update_update-text">#musicindustry</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/login?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elinkedin%2Ecom%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fneighboringrights&amp;trk=public_post_share-update_update-text" rel="nofollow" data-tracking-control-name="public_post_share-update_update-text" data-tracking-will-navigate="" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/login?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elinkedin%2Ecom%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fneighboringrights&amp;trk=public_post_share-update_update-text">#neighboringrights</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/login?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elinkedin%2Ecom%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fartists&amp;trk=public_post_share-update_update-text" rel="nofollow" data-tracking-control-name="public_post_share-update_update-text" data-tracking-will-navigate="" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/login?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elinkedin%2Ecom%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fartists&amp;trk=public_post_share-update_update-text">#artists</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/login?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elinkedin%2Ecom%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fzanoise&amp;trk=public_post_share-update_update-text" rel="nofollow" data-tracking-control-name="public_post_share-update_update-text" data-tracking-will-navigate="" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/login?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elinkedin%2Ecom%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fzanoise&amp;trk=public_post_share-update_update-text">#zanoise</a>

RAAP vs PPI: another win for performers, but war isn’t over yet

selective focus silhouette photography of man playing red-lighted DJ terminal

On July 29th 2021, <a data-mce-href="https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/in-china-a-virtual-artist-has-signed-to-a-major-record-company-is-this-a-sign-of-the-future/" href="https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/in-china-a-virtual-artist-has-signed-to-a-major-record-company-is-this-a-sign-of-the-future/">Music Business Worldwide</a> wrote that Whet Records, Warner Music Group‘s pan-Asian dance label in China, signed a record deal with the artist Ha Jiang. So …… what’s so interesting about that? Well, just like the world famous Lil Miquela, Ha Jiang is a virtual pop artist/influencer. We assume the record deal has actually been signed by the company who invented her and no doubt the relevant recording royalties (Spotify, Youtube, Tiktok etc.) will flow into their accounts. However, what about the neighbouring rights? Generally, when a recording is played in public, the artist and record company split the neighboring rights royalties due.Now, in the case of Ha Jiang’s recordings, there’s no problem regarding the record company’s share. But is there an artist’s share to be collected, and who would be entitled to it? Obviously, Ha Jiang is not a real person and can’t collect any neighboring rights royalties. So it would have to be the company behind Ha Jiang. However, in most legislations artist neighboring rights are regarded as strictly personal and can’t be assigned to third parties. So in that case, the individuals creating Ha Jiang’s performances would have to step forward and claim the artist share. That may not be too smooth a process. Would be interesting to explore.

Ha Jiang: a real performer?

More and more, investors in music rights are including royalty streams in their acquisitions, a tendency not exactly embraced by record companies and music publishers. Earlier this year Universal said it is no longer accepting Letters of Direction redirecting artist and writer royalties to investors. Definitely a bummer for music investment funds.When it comes to the acquisition of neighboring rights royalties there are some additional elements to consider. Most jurisdictions outside the US do not accept an outright sale of neighbouring rights royalties, let alone a sale of the underlying rights. In most countries artists’ neighboring rights are seen as unalienable, unwaivable rights personal to the artist.Now, in practice catalog buyers deal with this by simply leaving the artist’s existing membership(s) in place and imposing a continuous obligation for the artist to sign certain forms (such as a letter of direction) as and when needed. However, the situation changes once the artist dies, because then the relevant collecting society will want to ascertain who the rightful heirs are.<h2>Artist’s neighbouring rights</h2>In some jurisdictions the verdict will be that the sale of an artist’s neighbouring rights must be considered null and void, and as a consequence such rights will fall into the artist’s estate. In that case the relevant collecting society will want to see the artist’s last will and testament or (if s/he died intestate) a probate outlining who should represent the estate towards the collecting society.Although in most cases this can still be fixed, anyone having dealt with an estate’s neighboring rights vis-à-vis a collecting society knows it’s a big, big hassle.

Buying neighbouring rights: asset or burden?

On February 4, 2021 the Irish High Court ruled in the dispute between Irish neighboring rights societies RAAP (performer rights) and PPI (record labels).It followed the EU court’s ruling that the right to equitable remuneration under the EU Directive must be granted both to EU performers and record labels AND to those who are nationals of other WPPT signatories (the US are a WPPT-signatory).Also it ruled that both artists and record labels should share in the neighboring rights income (and thus it ruled against PPI’s refusal to let the artists share in the income collected for US recordings).Very encouraging news for US artists, be it that first Ireland’s copyright law needs to be changed in accordance with the EU court ruling – hasn’t been done yet. So the biggest question is now when US artist will get (more) money out of Ireland.<a data-mce-href="chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/925932e1-756f-4416-b433-91421e91d61f/2021_IEHC_22.pdf/pdf" href="chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/925932e1-756f-4416-b433-91421e91d61f/2021_IEHC_22.pdf/pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">More info</a>.

Blog

Garbage in, garbage out (aka GIGO)

RAAP vs PPI: another win for performers, but war isn’t ov...

Ha Jiang: a real performer?

Buying neighbouring rights: asset or burden?

US artists will receive Irish royalties, but when?