Know your rights if you want to make music

Biffy Clyro are in the running for the SAY awards. Picture: PA

In order to help encourage this talent and, more importantly, ensure that our artists can continue to produce music, understanding the business aspects of the industry, in particular their rights, has never been more vital.

The music landscape has seen many changes recently, particularly in how music is recorded and where and how it is heard and listened to. All of this has had a significant effect on the way artists make money from their music, and as a result many have to rely on sources of income other than sales.

It is essential that those in the industry are aware of their rights and revenue options such as performance rights; rights belonging to record companies and performers when their tracks are either broadcast (on radio and/or TV) or used in public. These rights are becoming an increasingly important source of revenue for musicians as sales decline and music consumption, in a digital age, changes.

Becoming a PPL member is just one of the ways artists can learn more about their rights whilst also receiving royalties from them. PPL is working hard in Scotland to help make sure artists are aware of the company and are rewarded for the use of their music.

We are also working hard with our many Scottish customers and businesses to ensure that they are keeping within the law and are properly licensed, should they be playing music to their staff or customers. We want them to understand how the use of music really can create an atmosphere and benefit their own business whilst ensuring those who invest their time and effort in making music for people to enjoy are fairly paid.

We congratulate those shortlisted and are grateful for the opportunity to support the wealth of talent and remind businesses that artists too must get paid in order to keep on producing brilliant new music.

• PPL is supporting this year’s SAY Award which takes place today at Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom