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MU supports The Fair Digital Deals Declaration

The Fair Digital Deals Declaration is a statement of commitment made by independent record labels to treat their artists fairly in agreements relating to digital exploitation of artists’ work in recorded music agreements with third parties.

Published: 17 July 2014 | 12:00 AM Updated: 28 April 2021 | 4:28 PM

The MU supports The Fair Digital Deals Declaration, launched by the Worldwide Independent Network (WIN).

The Fair Digital Deals Declaration is a statement of commitment made by independent record labels to treat their artists fairly in agreements relating to digital exploitation of artists’ work in recorded music agreements with third parties.

Commitments include:

  • Clearly explaining artists’ share of download and streaming revenues in recording agreements and royalty statements in reasonable summary form,
  • Accounting to artists a good-faith pro-rata share of any revenues and other compensation from digital services that stem from the monetization of recordings but are not attributed to specific recordings or performances,
  • Encouraging better standards of information from digital services on the usage and monetisation of music,
  • Supporting artists who choose to oppose, including publicly, unauthorized uses of their music, and
  • Supporting the collective position of the global independent record company sector as outlined in the Global Independent Manifesto.

Any label signing up to this declaration will also commit to communicating to their artists that they have signed the Declaration. They will agree to attach a signed copy of the Declaration to their artists’ royalty statements at the next royalty payment run to demonstrate their support for the initiative.

In order to sign up you will need to download the Fair Digital Deal Declaration, sign and send to emmy@musicindie.com.

To view a full list of companies so far that have committed to the declaration please click here to visit the signatories page.

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