Reference no: EM133860969 , Length: word count:1500

Introduction to Music Business

Assignment: Management & Royalties Report

Scenario (Use This As the Basis for Your Report):

A four-piece Australian band has written and recorded their first song and they want to make it available online. As their band manager you need to work through the process of ownership, distribution strategy and how the band will be remunerated for their work.

Overview

Total Word Count: 1500 words

Referencing Required: In-text citations and full reference list

Part 1: Copyright Ownership (400-500 words)

Work through the process of deciding ownership of the composition and sound recording of the song.

Reference Scenario Contributions:
Mel wrote the melody on piano
Paul wrote lyrics for the song
Tom the bassist and Kim the drummer wrote their own parts after hearing Mel's piano melody
The whole band arranged the song together
Each band member played on the recording and contributed equally to the payment of costs

Your Task:
Decide how to split ownership of the composition (music and lyrics) and sound recording (separately)
Justify your splits with reference to copyright principles and industry practice
Include a final version of your splits, shown a table or chart format.
Explain what a split sheet is, why artists use them, and what key elements would make it valid as a working agreement

Part 2: Distribution Strategy (400-500 words)

Design a distribution strategy to release the band's song online.

Your Task:
Choose and describe a digital aggregator (such as DistroKid or TuneCore) and outline why it is necessary for independent artists
Detail the process, timelines and costs involved in releasing a song through this service
(Optional) Compare more than one distributor to ultimately choose the best one i.e. compare pricing, inclusions and comparisons overall.

Part 3: Royalties and Collection (400-500 words)

Explain how the band will earn royalties and which organisations collect income on their behalf.

Your Task:
Describe the role of a digital distributor in collecting revenue from platforms such as Spotify or Apple Music. Clarify that this income relates to the sound recording, and goes to the recording rights holder
Introduce the three major collection societies in Australia:
APRA - define what it does and the p erformance royalties it collects
AMCOS - define what it does and the mechanical royalties it collects
PPCA - define what it does and the recording-related royalties it collects
Provide one example for each society showing where that royalty might be generated (e.g. radio play, physical sale, public performance)
Research how much streaming platforms typically pay per stream in Australia and calculate how many streams would be required to generate $100 in royalties. Present this estimate using recent data

Intro & Conclusion (100-200 words combined)

Use your introduction to outline the aim of the report. In the conclusion, briefly recap how your plan supports the band's ability to release, protect and monetise their music.