Today, Public Knowledge's Senior Staff Attorney Jodie Griffin released “Rewind, Reclaim: Copyright Termination and the Music Business.” The paper is a much needed explanation on the state of copyright termination and how it impacts the artists it should protect. The report highlights the the importance of the reclamation right, which gives artists the right to tear up their copyright transfers or licenses after 35 years.
Rewind, Reclaim explains how many labels (especially major labels) use their leverage to negotiate one-sided record deals with less powerful musicians that burden artists with years of debt (or perpetual debt) and place control over much of the artist’s career into the hands of the label. Even where artists have not been exploited due to their low bargaining power, it is difficult for anyone to accurately gauge the market value of an album before it reaches the market and the artist’s career has matured.
The following can be attributed to Jodie Griffin, Senior Staff Attorney at Public Knowledge:
“The reclamation right now gives artists the opportunity to reclaim their rights to gain control over their own life’s work, or to renegotiate better deals with their current business partners. Of course, there are many ways a record label or other intermediary could try to prevent artists from reclaiming their rights, so Congress, musicians, and music fans must all be vigilant to make sure unanticipated pitfalls don't prevent artists from exercising their reclamation rights.”
A link to the white paper can be found here.
A link to the blog post about this white paper can be found here.
All of our white papers can be found at PKThinks.
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.