Essay: The UK Music Industry, Copyright Administration, and Growth

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the UK music industry, emphasizing its significance as a cultural and creative powerhouse. It delves into the importance of copyright administration and royalty collection for music companies, highlighting how intellectual property (IP) laws form the economic foundation of the industry. The essay explores the role of copyright in protecting the rights of composers and the relationship between music users and collection societies. It examines amendments to UK copyright law, including changes regarding music copying and the rights of third parties. The essay also discusses the challenges faced by collection societies, such as the emergence of new distribution platforms and fragmentation of copyright. It concludes by underscoring the crucial role of the copyright framework in safeguarding the music industry and protecting composers' original works, referencing various academic sources and online resources.

THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Essay on the music industry of UK
UK is being regarded as one of the largest cultural industry in world.
However, it is also considered as one of the most successful creative industry
in world (Our Views - UK Copyright Framework, 2016). UK is also considered
as largest producer of the recorded music in whole Europe. In addition to
this, it has also being assessed that creative industry is also playing
significant role in the country's growth. Here, the respective essay will give
detailed description regarding the UK music industry. Furthermore, it will
also depict the importance of copyright administration and royalty collection
for the music companies which are occurring in United Kingdom.
Creative industry is being considered as one of the most growing
industry in UK and it is giving its significant contribution in the overall nation
growth. Hence, for the government of nation it is very essential that it should
make measures for protecting the rights of given industry. The given thing is
being effectively done by UK government by making use of number of IP
laws and provisions.
Herein, IP (Intellectual property) law are the economic framework
which basically underpins the UK music industry as well as other creative
industries which are operating in Britain. Hence, a copy right will be consider
as the currency of the given framework. Here, copyright made applicable to
those work which are recorded in some way. This right ensures that the
original content of music writer and composer will not being used by any
other person without their permission (Wikström, 2013). Hence, copyright

provides legal protection to the creativity of an individual. Furthermore, here
individual has the right to take action against the other people in case of
infringement and plagiarism. Thus, it is correct to say that IP law related with
the copyright have importance within the music industry. This is because,
the given law encourages the creativity of the music creators. Moreover, it
will also motive them with regard to make the development of different type
of music without being the fear of being copied (Rogers, 2013). However, it
has been critically evaluated that availing the copyright is not an easier task.
This is because, on doing this an individual will have to go through with
number of legal problems.
Besides this, there is a relationship is being assessed between the
music using business and the collection societies. For example, there are
many companies or industries which make use of music. It consists of film
industry, TV serial and advertising firms etc. Here, in return of using the
music of composer, these firms will have to pay some fee in the form of
royalty. However, the given fee is being collected by the collection society on
behalf of music composer (Lieb, 2013). In addition to this, the companies
which uses music cannot make direct contact with the composer of music if
he/she has made an appointment of collection society for the purpose of
same. Thus, both individual have working relationship which both uses with
an aim to carry out their work in an effective manner.
In this context, it can be said that it is important for the composer of
music that it should make an appointment of collection society for the

purpose to collect the royalty fee for the composed music. This is because,
on doing this composer can reduced significant workload upon themselves.
In addition to this, it is through this way only proper administration with
regard to work of royalty collection will be made possible (Tschmuck, 2012).
Thus, it is correct to said that the copyright framework which is being used
within the music industry is appropriate and effective.
Besides this, there are number of amendments has been occurred in
the UK copyright law . Herein, one of the most significant change which have
occurred in the respective law is related with right to copy the music of
composer. In this context, government of United Kingdom has taken decision
that now music fans can make the copy of legally purchased music. In
addition to this, the amendments which has occurred in the copyright law is
providing freedom to the third party with respect to use the copyright
composition of the owner for number of economic and social purpose
(Cloonan, 2013). Here, while doing the given type of activity an individual
will not have to take permission for the use of the product from the owner.
But, in the process of making such amendments firm has also taken decision
that government will compensate all the losses which is being incurred by
the owner due to the decision of such amendments as made by the
government of UK. However, on issuing the given law government is facing
many resistances from the side of composer of music in an effectual way.
The collecting the royalty of the composed music is being consider as
one of the significant process in music industry. Thus, in this context it is

correct to say that collection society tend to play very significant role in the
music industry. Here, collection society is the type of society which basically
perform all the work related with the administration (Parry, Vendrell‐Herrero
and Bustinza, 2014). Furthermore, the collection society tend to manage all
the rights which are associated with the composer or owner of music. In this
regard, the UK collection society such as PRS, PPL, MCPS and VPL plays very
important role in the UK music industry. Here, the collecting society basically
plays the role of collector wherein they collect the royalty fee from the
individual to whom composer have given right with regard to use its music.
In addition to this, it also sale the non exclusive license with regard to use
work of the owner of the composer of music. Hence, the given society tend
to reduce the workload among the people or the composer of music. It
handles all the administration related work and in return of performing this
they tend to obtain royalty fee from the respective individual (Salo, Lankinen
and Mäntymäki, 2013).
But, it has been critically evaluated that the music royalty have
significant impact upon the music composer and writer. In accordance with
the given context, it can be said that with the help of music royalty, the
original composer can form a protective shield upon the composed music.
Here, the given shield will restrict the right of other individual with regard to
copy the music and make money from the copied music which is being made
by some other person (Taylor, 2012).

In addition to this, music royalty is effective as it provides opportunity
to the individual with regard to make the money for their composition by
giving it to the person or company to whom which it wanted to give. Thus, it
can be consider as source of obtaining money for the composer of music. In
addition to this, the money which is being obtained by the composer in the
form of royalty fee can be invest by them in order to make some creative
composition (Butterworth, 2014). Thus, it can be depicted that the music
royalty is not only providing benefit to the composer of music but it is also
giving significant advantages to the music industry too.
The collection society which collect royalty money on behalf of
composer and writer of music is going through with the number of
challenges too. At present the collection society is facing the challenge of
emergence of new and powerful player in the field of distributing the music
(Radbill, 2013). In addition to this, the fragmentation of the copyright is
being consider as another challenge which is being faced by the collection.
However, there are some future challenges too which tend to cause
significant impact upon the aforementioned collection society of UK. Herein,
the popularity of internet has altered the way of availing and using the
composed music (Meier, 2015). Thus, the significant changes in a manner to
used music have also caused alteration in a way in which royalty are
collected by the composer of music from others. Hence, to make use of
tactic for the purpose to deal with the given issues is proving as the biggest
for the collecting society.

Moreover, there is a relationship is also being assessed between the
copyright agencies and the government which is prevailing in the country.
Copyright agency give licence to the users with regard to copy the material
which is being composed by some other person (Arditi, 2012). Here, the
respective agency has to follow all the rules and regulations which is being
formulated by the government of nation. However, lack of compliance with
the government rules and regulations will lead to cause significant impact
upon the respective agencies.
Overall, it can be said that copyright framework tend to have very
crucial role in the music industry. This is because, the absence of given law
will lead to cause the drastic impact upon the industry. In addition to this, it
helps in protecting the original composition of the composer. Thus, it is
through this way only it tends to protect the right of the composer of the
music in an effective way.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Arditi, D., 2012. The State of Music: Cultural, Political and Economic
Transformations in the Music Industry. GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY.
Butterworth, J., 2014. The Ethics of Success: Paradoxes of the Suffering
Neoliberal Self in the Andean Peruvian Music Industry. Culture, Theory and
Critique. 55(2). pp.212-232.
Cloonan, M., 2013. Popular music and the state in the UK: culture, trade or
industry?. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd..
Lieb, K., 2013. Gender, branding, and the modern music industry: The social
construction of female popular music stars. Routledge.
Meier, L. M., 2015. Popular Music Making and Promotional Work Inside the
‘New’Music Industry.
Parry, G., Vendrell‐Herrero, F. and Bustinza, O.F., 2014. Using Data in
Decision‐Making: Analysis from the Music Industry. Strategic
Change. 23(3-4). pp.265-277.
Radbill, C.F., 2013. Introduction to the Music Industry: An Entrepreneurial
Approach. Routledge.
Rogers, J., 2013. The death and life of the music industry in the digital age.
A&C Black.
Salo, J., Lankinen, M. and Mäntymäki, M., 2013. The Use of Social Media for
Artist Marketing: Music Industry Perspectives and Consumer
Motivations.International Journal on Media Management,.15(1). pp.23-41.
Taylor, T. D., 2012. The sounds of capitalism: Advertising, music, and the
conquest of culture. University of Chicago Press.
Tschmuck, P., 2012. Creativity and innovation in the music industry (pp. 225-
251). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Wikström, P., 2013. The music industry: Music in the cloud. Polity.
Online

Our Views - UK Copyright Framework. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.bpi.co.uk/the-uk-copyright-framework.aspx>. [Accessed on
28th May 2016].

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.m-magazine.co.uk/news/copyright-framework-gives-music-
industry-growth/
https://www.gov.uk/copyright-licensing-agency-licence
https://www.usa.gov/government-works
http://copyright.com.au/