As an artist, it is important to unravel the intricacies of Canadian music royalties and the establishment of music publishing companies in Canada. Understanding how music royalties work is crucial for musicians, songwriters, and music publishers.
“SOCAN members are paid royalties when their music is performed on the Internet. SOCAN currently licenses a number of Internet music uses including music streaming (audio and video), YouTube, simulcasting of terrestrial radio, webcasting, karaoke, and video games.“
SOCAN
Artisti
Artisti is a collective management society created by the Union of Artists in 1997, which represents more than 2,500 artists. Artisti’s mission is to manage and distribute royalties to performers under the Law on Copyright and arising from the following rights: equitable remuneration (audio broadcast), private copying (copies of music made for the personal use of the copier) and right of reproduction (some copies only).
Artisti.ca | Twitter | Facebook
Music Publishers Canada
Music Publishers Canada is a non-profit membership-based organization, founded in 1949, that ensures the views of music publishers working in Canada are heard. It is our mission to create business opportunities for our members and to promote their interests and those of their song writing partners through advocacy, communication, and education.
Music Publishers Canada ensures that the value and contribution of music publishers, music publishing, and copyright management is understood by artists, the music industry, users of copyrights, governments, and the general public.
CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency)
CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd.) is a music licensing collective representing music rightsholders who range in size from large multinational music publishers to individual songwriters. Together, they own or administer the vast majority of songs recorded, sold and broadcast in Canada.
Connect Music Licensing
Connect Music Licensing (formerly AVLA) administers licensing in Canada for the reproduction of sound recordings and reproduction and broadcast of music videos on behalf of copyright owners (usually, record companies). Connect Music Licensing’s licences ensure that owners receive compensation for use of their sound recordings and music videos.
ConnectMusic.ca | Twitter | Facebook
Independent Digital Licensing Agency (IDLA)
Twenty leading independent labels organized IDLA — The Independent Digital Licensing Agency to provide independent labels and artists more efficient and economic digital asset delivery to digital music services, royalty collection and administration through an organization whose financial interests are directly aligned with its independent artists and label members.
Musicians’ Rights Organization Canada (MROC)
The Musicians’ Rights Organization Canada (MROC) is a Canadian federally incorporated not-for-profit organization whose primary objective is to collect and distribute royalties to musicians and vocalists. MROC distributes the performer’s share of neighbouring rights and private copying royalties. These royalties primarily flow from the broadcast and public performance of sound recordings and are based on tariffs approved by the Copyright Board of Canada. MROC represents more than 6500 musicians.
MusicianRights.ca | Twitter | Facebook
Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)
SOCAN connects more than four-million music creators worldwide and more than a quarter-million businesses and individuals in Canada. Nearly 150,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers are its direct members, and more than 130,000 organizations are Licensed To Play music across Canada. With a concerted use of progressive technology and a commitment to lead the global transformation of music rights, with wholly-owned subsidiaries Audiam and MediaNet, SOCAN is dedicated to upholding the fundamental truths that music has value and music creators and publishers deserve fair compensation for their work.
SOCAN.ca | Twitter | Instagram
SODRAC
SODRAC negotiates collective and individual agreements with users of their works, collects royalties and redistributes them to the rights holders it represents. It therefore controls all reproduction of its members’ works on any type of audio, audiovisual, visual or digital media, as well as the use of recordings on these media.
SOPROQ
SOPROQ collective management of rights of producers of phonograms and video recordings of Quebec allows producers of sound recordings and music videos to enjoy fully the benefits of the rights granted to them under Canadian law on copyright.
SoundExchange
SoundExchange develops business solutions to benefit the entire music industry. The organization collects and distributes digital performance royalties on behalf of nearly 155,000 recording artists and master rights owners accounts and administers direct agreements on behalf of rights owners and licensees. To date, SoundExchange has paid out nearly $5 billion in royalties. SXWorks, a SoundExchange subsidiary, acquired the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd. (CMRRA) which represents music publishers and administers the majority of songs recorded, sold and broadcast in Canada.
SoundExchange.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Recording Artists’ Collecting Society (RACS)
The Recording Artists’ Collecting Society (RACS) is a division of ACTRA that collects and distributes equitable remuneration (neighbouring rights and private copying) to eligible recording artists. For many years, Canadian songwriters have received royalties from the broadcast or public performance of their songs. These royalties are collected by SOCAN. In 1997, the Copyright Act of Canada was amended to acknowledge the essential contribution of recording artists and record companies in the creation of recorded music and to add a right to equitable remuneration which is in line with similar rights in the rest of the world. RACS focuses on putting the money into the hands of recording artists.
Re:Sound
Re:Sound is the Canadian not-for-profit music licensing company dedicated to obtaining fair compensation for artists and record companies for their performance rights. They advocate for music creators, educate music users, license businesses and distribute royalties to creators.
