TORONTO – Some music writers and publishers across Canada left without income due to the Covid-19 crisis, but who still took to social media to perform for their fans (or saw others play their music), will get paid, thanks to SOCAN.
With all concerts shut down, many took to Facebook and Instagram to play and so SOCAN “is now reciprocating the love by launching Encore!, a program that compensates music creators and publishers for their invaluable work,” reads the press release from the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada.
SOCAN’s board of directors and management team recently approved the allocation of a portion of licensing revenue collected from Facebook for the Encore! Program, which has been created to help ease the financial burden on its writer members and their publishers created by the pandemic.
Approximately $200,000 is available each quarter for the program for the duration of the Covid-19 lockdown in Canada, said the press release.
To receive an Encore! payment for a live music event on Facebook or Instagram:
- At least ten songs/compositions were performed live, or a live performance of at least 30 minutes on Facebook or Instagram from March 15, 2020, to May 7, 2021 (inclusive).
- At least 100 people must have accessed the online event.
- A setlist of all music performed has to be sent via SOCAN’s Notification of Live Music Performance form at SOCAN.com, with the “venue” identified as Facebook or Instagram.
- Claims must be made within 90 days of the Facebook/Instagram concert occurring.
- Each online concert will be eligible for a total payment of $150, with shares of royalties going to all rights holders of the music performed.
Live performances on social media properties normally do not generate more than a few dollars in royalties for songwriters, composers and music publishers, says SOCAN. Typically, royalties from music used on these platforms come from streamed and downloaded recorded music.
In addition to live music events on Facebook and Instagram, SOCAN is in the process of adding more online platforms to the Encore! program.
The organization said it will also soon launch its regular “Get Set, Get Paid” awareness initiative, encouraging members to submit notification of live music performance set lists for past in-person concerts. Only by submitting set lists can license money paid by concert venues be matched to the correct rights holders of the music performed, enabling those who earned royalties to receive them, reads the press release.
SOCAN also confirmed that its regular distribution of royalties to all members will go out as planned on-time, this week.
