The UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO), alongside PPL and PRS for Music, will unveil a new and updated Get Paid Guide for music creators at an event in London today (March 19).
The guide seeks to navigate the often-confusing world of metadata for music creators.
Building upon the original resource aimed at songwriters and composers, this expanded version aims to provide performers, managers, and representatives with a step-by-step guide on registering and managing their music metadata.
This crucial information ensures that recorded music rights are protected, and creators are fairly compensated for their work in a timely manner.
The launch comes after the initial guide, co-created by the IPO, PRS for Music, The Ivors Academy, and the Music Publishers Association, saw success with “thousands” of views, according to a press release. The initial guide was launched last summer.
“Building on the great work already done to educate songwriters and composers, the enhanced Get Paid Guide offers a crucial resource to performers wanting to protect their recorded music rights and build a sustainable career,” said Camilla Waite, General Counsel, PPL.
“With the fast pace of technological change we see across the industry, being aware of how to register and manage data around recordings is essential.”
Camilla Waite, PPL
“With the fast pace of technological change we see across the industry, being aware of how to register and manage data around recordings is essential. This dedicated guide goes a long way in making music creators aware of what they need to have in place in order to get paid whenever their work is used.”
The expanded Get Paid Guide will be launched at an event hosted by Viscount Camrose, Minister for AI and Intellectual Property, and featuring opening remarks from Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization.
The UK was the first country to formally join WIPO’s Creators initiative, a program dedicated to equipping creators with the knowledge necessary to manage their intellectual property rights effectively. Universal Music Group joined the initiative in October 2021 as the first corporate sponsor.
At the Get Paid Guide launch, a panel discussion featuring key copyright advocates will explore the significance and potential impact of the expanded initiative. Participants include Camilla Waite (General Counsel, PPL), Julia Rowan (Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager, PRS for Music), Crispin Hunt (Singer/Songwriter/Producer and former chair of The Ivors Academy), Eve Horne (singer/songwriter/producer), and Ben Llewellyn-Jones OBE (Director of Business and International Policy, IPO).
“This expanded, comprehensive guide on understanding that data and protecting the value of your work will… empower those songwriters and performers to make a living from their art.”
Crispin Hunt, The Ivors Academy
Crispin Hunt, one of the participants, stressed the importance of metadata management for creators in today’s music scene. “Knowing how to manage your metadata is a prerequisite for creators to get paid in the modern music business. This expanded, comprehensive guide on understanding that data and protecting the value of your work will… empower those songwriters and performers to make a living from their art.”
Michelle Escoffery, award-winning songwriter and President of the PRS Members’ Council, echoed the sentiment, saying, “the Get Paid Guide now has all the tools to make it easier for creators to master the art of good music data.”
“My hope is that by simplifying what can be quite complex, we empower our songwriter, composer, and performer community to understand that inputting accurate music data is a key contributor to financial success. By closing the knowledge gap, we will improve the quality of metadata across the music industry and ensure we’re paid timely and correctly for our creativity.”
The IPO’s Head of Research David Humphries MBE highlighted ongoing efforts to improve data quality and accuracy. “Following the Metadata Agreement, published in May 2023, the Intellectual Property Office and representatives from across the music industry have been working together to determine how best to improve the quality and accuracy of data.
“The IPO is delighted to continue supporting the Get Paid Guide. Now updated to take performers as well as creators through the necessary steps to get paid and attributed, it provides a user-friendly, accessible tool to ensure all in the value chain have access to the best information.”
David Humphries MBE, UK Intellectual Property Office
“The IPO is delighted to continue supporting the Get Paid Guide. Now updated to take performers as well as creators through the necessary steps to get paid and attributed, it provides a user-friendly, accessible tool to ensure all in the value chain have access to the best information and is a great example of the industry working together.”
The updated Get Paid Guide marks the latest effort in the UK centered around music metadata. Back in June, the UK government unveiled an industry agreement on music streaming metadata that seeks to enhance the accuracy and transparency of metadata in the streaming industry.
In September, PRS for Music expanded its Nexus program, launched in 2022, aiming to link songwriter and composer information to music recordings before they are released.
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