A2IM: American Association of Independent Music

Posted in News by A2IM

A2IM’s sister organization in the UK, AIM is inviting U.S. independent labels to enter your artists, projects, etc. for consideration in their upcoming AIM Independent Music Awards.  To qualify, the artists or projects must have had UK releases.  There is an entry fee and AIM is extending their member rate to A2IM members.

The deadline to submit is June 13.

The categories currently open for entry are:

- Best Live Act

- Independent Album of the Year

- Best ‘Difficult’ Second Album

- Independent Breakthrough of the Year

- Special Catalogue Release of the Year – collectibles, box sets etc

- Hardest Working Band or Artist

- Independent Track of the Year

- Independent Video of the Year

Entry forms and info are at www.musicindie.com/awards/enternow

Posted in News by A2IM

As we have already reported to you our community has concerns about the re-launched Myspace service. AIM, our UK colleagues, have highlighted concerns about the rights and conditions being requested by Myspace. Every one of our A2IM members have their own business plans for promotion and monetization and should always do what is in the best interests of their individual business’. That said please be aware of these terms and conditions MySpace is requiring before entering into a transaction with Myspace as follows:

“Clause 6. Proprietary Rights in Content on MySpace
6.    Proprietary Rights in Content on MySpace

6.1.     Myspace does not claim any ownership rights in the text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, applications, or any other materials (collectively, “Content”) that you transmit, submit, display or publish (“post”) on, through or in connection with the Myspace Services. After posting your Content on, through or in connection with the Myspace Services, you continue to retain any such rights that you may have in your Content, subject to the limited license herein. By posting any Content on, through or in connection with the Myspace Services, you hereby grant to Myspace a limited license to use, modify, delete from, add to, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce, and distribute such Content solely on, through or in connection with the Myspace Services, including, without limitation, through the Myspace Services to applications, widgets, websites or mobile, desktop or other services which are linked with your Myspace account (collectively, “Linked Services”), including, without limitation, distributing part or all of the Myspace Services and any Content included therein, in any media formats and through any media channels, except that Content marked “private” will not be distributed by Myspace outside the Myspace Services and Linked Services. This limited license does not grant Myspace the right to sell or otherwise distribute your Content outside of the Myspace Services or Linked Services. After you remove your Content from the Myspace Services we will cease distribution as soon as practicable, and at such time when distribution ceases, the license will terminate. If after we have distributed your Content outside of the Myspace Services, you change the Content’s privacy setting to “private,” we will cease distribution of such “private” Content outside of the Myspace Services as soon as practicable after you make the change. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you understand and agree that once Content is distributed to a Linked Service or incorporated into other aspects of the Myspace Services, Myspace is under no obligation to delete or ask other Users or a Linked Service to delete that Content, and therefore it may continue to appear and be used indefinitely.

6.2.     The license you grant to Myspace is non-exclusive (meaning you are free to license your Content to anyone else in addition to Myspace), fully-paid and royalty-free (meaning that Myspace is not required to pay you or anyone else deriving rights from you for the use on the Myspace Services of the Content that you post), sublicensable (so that Myspace is able to use its affiliates, subcontractors and other partners such as Internet content delivery networks and wireless carriers to provide the Myspace Services), and worldwide (because the Internet and the Myspace Services are global in reach).“

Posted in News by A2IM

As previously reported to you there will be divestitures by Warner Music Group as a result of their acquisition of the Universal/EMI Parlophone assets. Here is an update from our U.K. sister organization AIM. Again, our members who have an interest in making an acquisition should come forward and express an interest and contact Charlie Lexton at Merlin, charlie.lexton@merlinnetwork.org,

Posted in News by A2IM

Billboard has reported that the FTC has followed the European Union today in approving Universal Music Group’s acquisition of EMI.

The FTC did not add any stipulations to the merger leaving the EU’s stipulation that UMG will need to divest assets amounting to 30% of EMI’s revenues or roughly 10 percent of sales for the new, combined group as the sole requirements for this merger to be completed.

A2IM will not be issuing a new public statement letting our previous statement on this matter, as well as numerous subsequent press quotes (Billboard August 6 and Billboard September 6) speak for us.  A2IM remains united in our position with that of our Impala European colleagues (Impala statement HERE).

If you have questions or comments that you’d like to share with us about the merger or what has informed our position please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Posted in Advocacy, News by A2IM

A2IM is a member of the global independent label community representing our members’ rights and interests pertaining to issues and opportunities that occur or exist outside of the U.S.  We represent our members via A2IM being a member of WIN (Worldwide Independent Network) which has representatives from over 20 countries looking at areas of common interest on a worldwide basis.

As we’ve previously reported, WIN has published a Global Indie Manifesto and we’re asking for your label’s endorsement of the Manifesto and for you to share the Manifesto with your artists and artist managers and ask them to also endorse this document.

We need all endorsement quotes, with photographs if possible, by September 25^th. Please send them to Jim Mahoney.

***

The purpose of this Indie Manifesto:

The indie music sector is creative, confident and successful. Worldwide it is now impressively big. It is distinct and different from the major multinationals – and is recognized for that by artists and the public and, increasingly, by business and politics.

Now is a very good time to say what this  important difference is:  that the strength of the indie music sector comes from its character – a shared set of beliefs, ideas, ambitions and ways of working which are at the heart of the independent  music business  anywhere in the world, even though there are local differences

Why we need your endorsement:

·         For the first time there is a clear global view of what are the basic, unchanging beliefs and values which can and should be put into practice by all independent music companies. So through WIN, the Worldwide Independent Network, indie music trade associations have worked together this year to write a 10-point worldwide indie music manifesto.

·         We recognise that the global independent music sector has a market share which places it firmly alongside the major multinationals; and as the driver of creativity and artist development, the indie music sector is better than the majors.

·         As WIN spreads the common themes outlined in the Indie Manifesto your endorsement adds to the strength and impact of the message which in turn improves your business and how your artists are treated in the market.

Additional Info:

This manifesto is not political.  It is not aggressive.  It is not a binding set of rules.

It pulls together what we already know is generally true, and best, about the indie music sector, and the common goals we all are or should be working towards. For example, the partnership approach of indie music companies and their artists is already widely recognized and respected: where such an approach is embedded in any company’s business practice  it  leads naturally to fairness in commercial dealings between artists and labels.  We should work towards ensuring that this approach is adopted by all indies, and that it is reciprocal – recognizing and rewarding the input of both artists and their  partners, the labels.  It recognizes that all independent music businesses contribute to local culture, diversity, jobs and export opportunities, and multiply the economic success of related industries- so deserve Government recognition and support. It calls for fair and transparent allocation and distribution of collecting society revenue.

Posted in News by A2IM

In response to A2IM’s July 30, 2012 Press Release: A2IM on Universal/EMI News – “Negative Impact on Music Consumers is Clear”, Billboard Magazine printed this follow-up news item: Pressure Mounts For Universal Music To Make U.S. Concessions on EMI Deal by Ed Christman.