Producers?

With a new generation of Composers/Producers comes the fresh understanding that their rights are not being explained to them as they move forward in to a full-time career in the Music Industry. More and more ‘Producers’ are coming to us for representation of their ‘rights’ and a number of our clients have no understanding that they actually have ‘rights’ as a composer in the ‘works’.

Producers are selling their ‘backing tracks’ for a flat fee for anywhere between £100 pounds sterling to £1000 pounds per track, many, without sufficiently accurate paperwork/contract in place before commercial release(s) and yet they do not understand that as the creator of the ‘backing track’ they are also entitled to a share as a ‘Composer’. Our practice currently represents a select number of Producers that we are vigorously pursuing re-claiming their ‘rights’ as ‘Composers’ as well as Producer.

Simply put. What does a ‘Rapper’, ‘MC’, Lyricist, 'Top-Liner' or Vocalist put their rhymes, melodies to? A musical composition created by the ‘Composer’, Songwriter!

Unless a ‘Buy-out’ agreement is in place before the inception of the composition/recording session between ‘Artist’ and Producer, relinquishing all ‘rights’ in the musical ‘works’ the Producer remains the owner of the ‘backing track’, simply meaning that she/he is the Composer’ of the music in the ‘Work(s)’.

This, in my recent dealings on behalf of our clients, is a growing area of ‘dispute’ between Artists/Producers/Record Labels and Music Publishers. But, it is an area that with over a decade as a successful Music Publisher we are advising our clients and repairing collection registrations with PRS/MCPS and International collection societies.

© These are the sole views of David A. Nash as an individual observer of matters and are in no way the professional view/comments or supplements of Simon Rodkins Solicitors LLP, it’s Associates, Trainees or additional Consultants