This document shows and explains the legal and ethical companies within the music industry

1. Legal and Ethical Considerations
Copyright - the exclusive and assignable legal right, given to the originator for a fixed
number of years, to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical
material
Slander/Libel - the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a
person's reputation.
Royalties - a percentage of the income from a book, piece of music, or invention that
is paid to the author, composer, or inventor
Public Interest - the general level of interest shown by people toward an issue or
event
How this effects my print product?
Copyright/intellectual property rights It will not as I will own the rights to my
images, however if somebody steals the
idea or photo then I will have to take
legal actions
Slander/libel Again I own the images however, if for
some reason the model does not show
up then it’s not my duty to slander him
and make him look bad
Royalties No Music has yet been released from
the artist, the imagery has no value
unless a magazine or publisher were to
use the images. Myself and the artist
would receive money
Violence Despite being a rapper, my artist is not
going to through gang signs or
ungrateful gestures.
Offensive language/behaviour/material Similar to the previous point, my artist is
strictly posing, if he pulls a pose with his
hands then it’s my job as the director to
make sure it won’t offend anyone.
Public interest I will have to put social media contact
on there as well as release dates for the
album and music.
The music industry is mostly a self-regulated organisation. But just as any other
industry it must have regulators to protect all the people involved in the production
and realisation of a song, cd, a concert etc (copyright, trade, music representation).
The most important are listed below. Although all these companies have different
aims the vision is the same, keep the music industry alive. However, the fact that
technology is evolving so fast, makes it even harder for them to protect every single
detail.

2. Who are they and what
do they do?
What impact this
organisation would
have on my print
product?
BASCA
British Academy of Songwriters,
Composers and Authors
https://basca.org.uk/home/
‘The voice for music
writers’ a worldwide
organisation that
focuses on sourcing the
best musical writing
talent.
They will protect the
rights of the music,
lyrically and
instrumentally.
It would not affect
the product as my
artist Is not apart of
the BASCA
organisation,
however if he were
to be the logo of
BASCA would have
to feature on the
print product
MPA
Music Publishers Association
http://www.mpaonline.org.uk
A music publisher that
has business invests in
to then produce music,
they do not specialise in
certain genres, and if
they are right for
employment they will
sign them. They also
support acts regardless
if they are signed or
independent
Credit will have to
be given to MPA if
my artist is being
supported by the
scheme.
MPA will help
promote the artist.
PRS
Performing Rights Society (who
are now linked with MCPS – The
Mechanical Copyright Protection
Society)
https://www.prsformusic.com/
They are an
organisation that pay
royalty to members
when work of theirs is
broadcasted, streamed
or downloaded.
The print will need
to have the logo
stamped onto the
album if PRS are
behind it and
supporting it.
OFCOM
Office of Communications
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/
OFCOM is the
communications
regulator in the UK, this
means they regulate TV
and radio, this then
means for my artist he
will have to apply for
music to be played and
for his music to be
promoted. They offer
different licenses for
radio broadcasting
The website states
that broadcast
advertising it
covered by the
advertising
standards authority.
OFCOM normally
just deal with online
and TV
broadcasting and
publications.
PPL
Phonographic Performance
Limited
http://www.ppluk.com/
PPL stand up for the
rights of music, you
apply for the license
payments are then
distributed to performers
and right holders of
recorded music.
The album sales
would go towards
the license money
which then will
come back
because of the
license.

3. BPI
British Phonographic Industry
https://www.bpi.co.uk/default.asp
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BPI is a membership
that comprises hundreds
of music companies
including the three major
record companies
(Warner Music UK,
Sony and Universal) it
will protect the music
rights from being stolen
and used for other uses.
They will make sure
that imagery has
not been stolen for
other profitable
purposes, as well
as the music.
Songrite UK
Songright Copyright Office
http://www.songrite.co.uk/index.ht
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An organisation that will
check that no one track
is the same or that
copyrighted parts have
been used. They offer a
secure service to
songwriters and will
inform the artist if their
protected sound has
been used.
Songrite UK will
insure that anything
distributed via my
artist will be
protected, any
other company or
artist that tries to
steal or mimic the
ideas that I have
used to promote my
artist will be
stopped by my
artist.
UK Music
(umbrella company linked with
many of the above)
http://www.ukmusic.org/about/
An industry funded body
represents the collective
interests or recorded,
published and live
sounds of British ideas.
UK music also
represents and
promotes interests,
this will help my
artist as they can
get the word out
about his name, his
style of music and
his upcoming
album.