ASCAP has added information to its publicly available online ACE database, indicating the percentage share of public performance rights that is “controlled by ASCAP” for each of more than 10 million musical compositions in the ASCAP repertory. The move makes ASCAP the first U.S. public performance rights organization to go public with licensable share data.
The updates will support ASCAP’s request to the U.S. Department of Justice for its members to have more flexibility in their ability to withdraw certain digital rights from the ASCAP repertory by providing a more complete and transparent picture of the intellectual property rights represented by ASCAP.
“Songwriters and composers depend upon ASCAP to support themselves and their families. If public performance rights societies are going to survive and thrive in a global music economy driven by data, then we must be willing to be fully transparent regarding what shares of songs we are licensing,” said ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews. “ASCAP is willing to lead the fight for greater transparency in this sector to support fair market value payments to our songwriter and publisher members and we urge other stakeholders to follow suit. “
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Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
