A music licensing group that recently launched is on the radar for community radio.
Global Music Rights recently emerged as an organization representing songwriters, similar to BMI, ASCAP and SESAC. It is made up largely of songwriters formerly represented by ASCAP and BMI. GMR is reportedly aimed at getting more money for writers whose songs are used in broadcast and other channels.
Does community radio need to worry? Fines for paying unlicensed music are significant. A station that plays music without a license faces penalties into six figures per track. Community radio stations that have not signed an agreement yet, says David Oxenford, should purge GMR licensed songs, including in syndicated programming, or consider GMR licensing.
This is probably not an issue if your community radio station does not play artists licensed via GMR. According to the Global Music Rights website, their clients have written works performed by the following artists:
Adam Lambert
Adele
Aerosmith
Alesso
Alice Cooper
Alison Krauss
Allman Brothers Band
Ashley Tisdale
Audioslave
Average White Band
B.O.B
Babyface
Backstreet Boys
Beatles
Beck
Beyonce
Big Sean
Billy Idol
Blake Shelton
Bone Thugs N Harmony
Boston
Bow Wow
Brandy Clark
Brian Wilson
Britney Spears
Bruno Mars
Bun B
Busta Rhymes
Carrie Underwood
Cee Lo Green
Celine Dion
Cheap Trick
Chris Brown
Ciara
Clay Aiken
Colbie Caillat
Common
Cranberries
Cyndi Lauper
Daft Punk
Damien Rice
Dan Fogelberg
Darius Rucker
Daughtry
David BowieDawes
Demi Lovato
Destiny’s Child
Diana Ross
Diddy
Don Henley
Dr. Dre
Duncan Sheik
Duran Duran
Eagles
Elton John
Eric Clapton
Faith Evans
Fall Out Boy
Fleetwood Mac
Florida Georgia Line
Foreigner
Frank Ocean
Gavin DeGraw
George Gershwin
Glee
Gloria Estefan
Green Day
Gucci Mane
Gwen Stefan
Gym Class Heroes
Heart
Hilary Duff
Hunter Hayes
Ice Cube
James Blake
James Blunt
James Morrison
Jay-Z
Jeff Beck
Jeff Tweedy
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Lopez
Jermaine Dupri
Jessica Simpson
Jimmy Buffett
Joan Baez
John Legend
John Lennon
Johnny Cash
Jordin Sparks
Journey
Julian Casablancas
Justin Timberlake
Kacey Musgraves
Kanye West
Katy Perry
Keith Urban
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Rowland
Kendrick Lamar
Kenny Chesney
Kesha
Kid Rock
Leona Lewis
Lil Kim
Little Big Town
LL Cool J
Ludacris
Ludacris
Luke Bryan
Lupe Fiasco
Mac Miller
Madonna
Mariah Carey
Mario
Maroon 5
Mary J Blige
Mase
Matchbox Twenty
Matt Nathanson
Megadeath
Mike Posner
Miranda Lambert
Missy Elliott
Mos Def
Nas
Natasha Bedingfield
Neil Diamond
Nelly
Nelly Furtado
Neptunes
NERD
New Edition
Nicki Minaj
Nicole Scherzinger
No Doubt
NSYNC
Ol Dirty Bastard
Omarion
One Direction
OneRepublic
Ozzy Osbourne
P. Diddy
Papa Roach
Paul Anka
Paul Oakenfold
Peter Frampton
Pharrell Williams
Phish
Pitbull
Police
Pusha T
Pussycat Dolls
Q-Tip
Queen Latifah
Randy Travis
Rascal Flatts
Robin Thicke
Ryan Tedder
Sammy Hagar
Santana
Sara Bareilles
Sarah McLachlan
Sean Lennon
Sean Paul
Sebastian Ingrosso
Shakira
Shane McAnally
Sheryl Crow
Snoop Dogg
Solange
Soundgarden
Steve Miller Band
Supertramp
Susanna Hoffs
Swedish House Mafia
T.I.
Talib Kweli
Taylor Swift
The Band Perry
The Cult
The Eagles
The Fray
The Game
The Moody Blues
The Polyphonic Spree
The Pretenders
The Randy Rogers Band
The Who
Tiga
Tim McGraw
Timbaland
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Tom Jones
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tone Loc
Toni Braxton
Train
Travis Barker
Twista
Tyga
Tyler The Creator
Usher
Vanessa Carlton
Weird Al Yankovic
Whitney Houston
Wilson Philips
Wings
Wiz Khalifa
Zedd
You can click GMR’s search button to check their full database.
Music royalties are big business. From commercial and non-commercial radio to advertisement, restaurants and other businesses, music performance mandates that songwriters be paid appropriately. GMR is currently focused on the commercial outlets, including radio and businesses (for businesses that play music in their establishments), and has not introduced non-commercial rates or approaches as of this writing. Still, community radio from full power to low power stations are asking what they need to do to deal with potential GMR fees.
