BMG backs Credits Due campaign for songwriters launched by ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus – Music Business Worldwide

BMG has pledged its support for Credits Due, a new campaign by songwriters to ensure they are credited and paid for their work.

The campaign was launched yesterday (September 21) by ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus at the Ivors music awards event in the UK.

BMG is the first international music company to commit to the campaign.

Credits Due focuses on ensuring that so-called metadata listing the identity of songwriters and their shares of the songs they write are attached to all recordings at the point of creation.

It requires five types of information, the songwriter’s identity, the song identifier code, recording identifier code, song title and the names of writer, performer, producer and musicians.

BMG’s says that its support for the Credits Due campaign “is consistent with its long-term advocacy for a fairer deal for artists and songwriters.”

This advocacy says, BMG includes the company’s removal of so-called packaging deductions on streams, a commitment to abolish the controversial controlled composition deduction, and paying songwriters on old contracts more speedily than their contract states.

“People ask me why this isn’t the case already and I don’t know what to say. Today, in 2021, there’s really no excuse. If we achieve Credits Due it’s a win-win for the whole music industry.”

Bjorn Ulvaeus, speaking at the Ivors

Speaking to the 1,300-strong Ivors audience yesterday, Ulvaeus said: “Music recordings must credit all involved and thus ensure that the right people get paid.

“People ask me why this isn’t the case already and I don’t know what to say. Today, in 2021, there’s really no excuse. If we achieve Credits Due it’s a win-win for the whole music industry.”

“Ensuring its songwriter and artist clients are paid fairly, accurately and speedily should be the priority of every music company.”

Hartwig Masuch, BMG 

BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said: “Ensuring its songwriter and artist clients are paid fairly, accurately and speedily should be the priority of every music company.

“BMG is delighted to lend its support to the Credits Due campaign and applauds the Ivors Academy, the Music Rights Awareness Foundation and SONA (Songwriters of North America) for driving this initiative.

“We look forward to working with them to deliver their objectives.”

“Thank you to BMG who understand well that the modernisation of our industry rests on good data.”

Graham Davies, The Ivors Academy

Graham Davies, CEO of The Ivors Academy, added: “Thank you to BMG who understand well that the modernisation of our industry rests on good data.

“We look forward to working closely with BMG and all those who pledge their support for Credits Due. Together we are stronger.”Music Business Worldwide