Universal To License Music To SoundCloud In Streaming Deal (thestack.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Universal Music Group has agreed to license its music to online audio platform SoundCloud – a major step for the popular startup, which has struggled to receive legitimate recognition in the industry. SoundCloud will enjoy access to Universal material, including work from top global artists signed to the label such as Adele, Taylor Swift and Kanye West. Conversely Universal will be able to access SoundCloud's advertising, analytics and data tools with the aim of increasing revenue streams and bolstering fan/artist engagement.

Comments

Re:Expect the Republicans to...

[110010001000]

Well if Kanye West, Adele, and Taylor Swift are considered to be music it might be time to agree with the Republicans!

and...

[meeotch]

top global artists signed to the label such as Adele, Taylor Swift and Kanye West

...and nothing was gained.

Preventing accidental infringement

[tepples]

artists take their content straight to Soundcloud with very little overhead and no gatekeepers

I thought the gatekeepers were the traditional music publishers. A music publisher differs from a record label in that a record label owns copyright in a recording (as embodied in a CD), while a music publisher owns copyright in the underlying musical work (as embodied in sheet music). There are millions of existing musical works, with BMI alone controlling a repertory of over nine million, and only so many possible hooks in the seven notes of the scale. (Proof available on request.) So when an artist writes and records a piece of music and uploads it to SoundCloud, what steps is the artist supposed to have taken to ensure that his song doesn't accidentally infringe copyright in one of the millions of existing songs? I ask because I compose music, am considering seeking extra exposure through SoundCloud, and want to limit my liability in cases of accidental infringement. Has anyone heard from a lawyer on this?

Re:Preventing accidental infringement

[Kjella]

So when an artist writes and records a piece of music and uploads it to SoundCloud, what steps is the artist supposed to have taken to ensure that his song doesn't accidentally infringe copyright in one of the millions of existing songs? I ask because I compose music, am considering seeking extra exposure through SoundCloud, and want to limit my liability in cases of accidental infringement. Has anyone heard from a lawyer on this?

What do you expect a copyright lawyer to say? It's like asking a patent lawyer how you can be sure your invention doesn't infringe on any of the millions of patents out there - and they are all at least publicly available. He'd probably tell you it'd be a very long and very expensive search through convoluted legalese that wouldn't guarantee anything anyway. With copyrighted works there isn't even a repository to compare with, so I don't see there's anything you can do to truly avoid it. Even if someone offered a check for originality like for school papers, there's always a chance it's a copy of something not in that system.

I'm not a lawyer but I'm pretty sure he'd say that's a bridge we'd cross when we get there, you publish it and if you make enough money and it's substantially similar enough for someone to sue, we'll look at the merits and try to find some prior art they infringe or go for a non-infringement defense or if it's really too close to a copy try to make a reasonable settlement. I remember reading about a case where an artist woke up with a tune in his head, didn't realize he'd heard it on the town the night before and published it as his own, he settled it quite amicably by handling over all his royalties and offering an unconditional apology. Shit happens.

Re:Expect the Republicans to...

[lucm]

Well if Kanye West, Adele, and Taylor Swift are considered to be music it might be time to agree with the Republicans!

Since you're such a sophisticated listener, can you provide a list of what you personally consider to be "music"?

So?

[PopeRatzo]

SoundCloud – a major step for the popular startup, which has struggled to receive legitimate recognition in the industry

Soundcloud is one of the more dynamic and interesting sources for music. Who cares if it receives "legitimate recognition in the industry"? The industry is a dinosaur and is best left for the junkpile of history alongside the whale oil industry.

I find some of the most interesting new music on Soundcloud. Nothing from Taylor Swift or Adele is going to make me more likely to use it.

Re:So?

[PopeRatzo]

Personally I'm more concerned with working my way through David Bowie's back library.

If you're just now working your way through Bowie's back library, you're not Soundcloud's target audience. I don't know, maybe iHeart Radio where you can have your tastes curated for you is more appropriate.

Soundcloud is to Apple Music what SOHO and Chelsea are to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Re:"Legitimate recognition in the industry"

[lucm]

wishing doesn't pay the bills.

You didn't read "The secret", did you?

Re:Expect the Republicans to...

[LaurenCates]

"Talented" is a subjective metric.

I think she's whiny. And apparently, has a thing for writing songs that are creepy and stalker-y. Which wouldn't even be so bad (good songs have been written about stalking someone), except it's played off the same way as Twilight being played off as "romantic".