Featured Artists' Coalition
Encyclopedia
The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) is a not-for-profit organisation set up to protect the rights of featured musical artists, particularly in the new digital age. It encourages a greater connection between fans
and artists and aims to promote transparency
in the music industry specifically to the benefit of the artists themselves.
It is a UK
based organization, founded in early 2009, lobbying
and campaigning
for the rights of featured artists (i.e. 'the musicians and bands whose names are on the cover of the record' as distinct from session musician
s). It was formed by a number of high profile artists as a reaction to the conventional stance by the music industry that saw artists as not constituting an organised body and so often not possessing direct control over their own work.
The FAC’s aim is to not only promote the rights of established artists, but also to support those of the up-and-coming featured artists and young emerging acts who are not familiar with the industry or their own rights. The FAC aims to provide a direct campaigning voice for featured artists, both established and new, on commercial issues (such as the deals done between major content providers and record label
s) and policy issues (such as copyright term extension and anti piracy
measures). Traditionally major record labels and 'the music industry' have controlled these discussions without direct input from the artists themselves.
, Dave Rowntree
of Blur
, Nick Mason
of Pink Floyd
, Ed O'Brien
of Radiohead
, Kate Nash
, Hal Ritson
of The Young Punx
, Howard Jones
, Mark Kelly of Marillion
, Sandie Shaw
, Master Shortie
, Lucy Pullin of The Fire Escapes, Ross Millard
of The Futureheads
, Fran Healy
of Travis
and Annie Lennox
.
Membership of the FAC is broad and includes featured artists such as Tom Jones
, Robbie Williams
, Little Boots
, Badly Drawn Boy
, Sia
, Amy Studt
, The Boxer Rebellion, Kevin Hewick
and many others.
s. This resulted in the record label having almost complete control over the artist and their promotion for the duration of the contract
. However, since the recent and sudden impact of the digital age on music and on the distribution of music, artists have not only come closer to their audience, but further from the profit due to their lack of representation at the negotiating table. Because of this inequality, FAC has tried to ensure that featured musical artists are central in these deals and receive a fair share of the profits.
Bands such as Marillion
and Radiohead
paved the way for such thinking. In 1999, Marillion
decided to turn down offers of a recording contract with an independent label and contacted their fans by email to ask them if they would be prepared to pay for the band’s next album in advance. This successful venture enabled the band to retain the rights to their own music instead of being forced to surrender their rights to a label in the traditional way. Radiohead
famously (and independently of a label) released their 2007 album 'In Rainbows
' as an online digital download
. However, despite the vast sums of money being made by websites such as iTunes Store
and Myspace
, the artists themselves receive little or none of the revenues. This provided incentive for the formation of FAC to help reshape the organisation of the music industry and provide a means for featured musical artists to profit directly from their own work.
Against the backdrop of dramatic falls in record sales in recent years this is seen as a crucial means by which artists can potentially make a living off their own work and create viable policies for the future of the industry. Equally, FAC has stressed the importance of not criminalising the ordinary fan
for digital downloads and instead would rather focus developing alternative forms of revenue.
extension and, in particular, online piracy where the FAC has argued against 'criminalizing fans' through prosecuting not for profit file sharing of music.
It lists the following six as its key demands:
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
and artists and aims to promote transparency
Transparency (market)
In economics, a market is transparent if much is known by many about:* What products, services or capital assets are available.* What price.* Where....
in the music industry specifically to the benefit of the artists themselves.
It is a UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
based organization, founded in early 2009, lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
and campaigning
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
for the rights of featured artists (i.e. 'the musicians and bands whose names are on the cover of the record' as distinct from session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s). It was formed by a number of high profile artists as a reaction to the conventional stance by the music industry that saw artists as not constituting an organised body and so often not possessing direct control over their own work.
The FAC’s aim is to not only promote the rights of established artists, but also to support those of the up-and-coming featured artists and young emerging acts who are not familiar with the industry or their own rights. The FAC aims to provide a direct campaigning voice for featured artists, both established and new, on commercial issues (such as the deals done between major content providers and record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s) and policy issues (such as copyright term extension and anti piracy
Anti-piracy
Anti-piracy is a term used to describe countermeasures against maritime piracy but moreoften by some to describe the attempt to prevent copyright infringement, counterfeiting, and other violations of intellectual-property rights....
measures). Traditionally major record labels and 'the music industry' have controlled these discussions without direct input from the artists themselves.
Membership
The board of directors of the FAC consists entirely of Featured Artists. The directors of the board include Billy BraggBilly Bragg
Stephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
, Dave Rowntree
Dave Rowntree
David Alexander De Horne Rowntree is an English solicitor, musician, animator, and political activist. He is best known as the drummer of the alternative rock band Blur...
of Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
, Nick Mason
Nick Mason
Nicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English drummer and songwriter, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965...
of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Ed O'Brien
Ed O'Brien
Edward John O'Brien is an English musician, songwriter and guitarist for the rock band Radiohead. He is also responsible for harmony vocals during live concerts and on many tracks from the band's albums...
of Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, Kate Nash
Kate Nash
Kate Marie Nash is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She had a UK no. 2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum selling UK number 1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRIT Awards....
, Hal Ritson
Hal Ritson
Hal Ritson is a British musician and record producer. As a featured artist he heads up the electronic music collective The Young Punx. He is also an instrumental performer, singer or producer on nearly 200 electronic dance music records including performing on 'Call on Me' by Eric Prydz, tracks by...
of The Young Punx
The Young Punx
The Young Punx are an English based electronic dance music act whose eclectic and energetic style encompasses french house, breakbeat and drum and bass, mashed up with elements as diverse as 1980s pop music, hard rock, disco and glam rock.-Personnel:...
, Howard Jones
Howard Jones (musician)
Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
, Mark Kelly of Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
, Sandie Shaw
Sandie Shaw
Sandie Shaw is an English pop singer, who was one of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s. In 1967 she was the first UK act to win the Eurovision Song Contest...
, Master Shortie
Master Shortie
Theo Jerome Kerlin is a British MC who is credited by his stage name Master Shortie. He is also a singer, establishing his own record label, Odd One Out. Plus has been listed in the Sound of 2009 poll.-Early life:...
, Lucy Pullin of The Fire Escapes, Ross Millard
Ross Millard
Ross Millard is a guitarist and vocalist in UK act The Futureheads. The band released their debut album The Futureheads in September 2004, which included the hit singles Hounds Of Love, Decent Days & Nights, and Meantime...
of The Futureheads
The Futureheads
The Futureheads are an English post-punk band from Sunderland. consisting of Ross Millard , Barry Hyde and David "Jaff" Craig...
, Fran Healy
Francis Healy
Francis "Fran" Healy is a Scottish musician. He is currently the lead singer and main songwriter of the Scottish band Travis, having written nearly all of the songs on their six studio albums. He is based in Berlin, Germany...
of Travis
Travis (band)
Travis are a post-Britpop band from Glasgow, Scotland, comprising Fran Healy , Dougie Payne , Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose...
and Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
.
Membership of the FAC is broad and includes featured artists such as Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
, Little Boots
Little Boots
Victoria Christina Hesketh, also known by her stage name/pseudonym Little Boots, is an English electropop singer-songwriter. Her stage name comes from a nickname given to her by a friend, a reference to her unusually small feet...
, Badly Drawn Boy
Badly Drawn Boy
Damon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
, Sia
Sia Furler
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler or simply Sia, is an Australian pop, downtempo, and jazz singer and songwriter. In 2000, her single, "Taken for Granted" was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom. Her 2008 album, Some People Have Real Problems peaked in the top 30 on the Billboard 200...
, Amy Studt
Amy Studt
Amy Jane Studt is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Growing up in a musical family she recorded her first demo by age 14, which eventually got her signed to Polydor. Studt released her first single "Just a Little Girl" in July 2002, to international success. It was followed almost a year...
, The Boxer Rebellion, Kevin Hewick
Kevin Hewick
Kevin Hewick is an English singer-songwriter who was an early member of the Factory Records roster. In the present day he is known for his recording on Pink Box records, an independent label based in Leicester and his recent work with Italian collective Unfolk.-The Factory years:Newly added to the...
and many others.
Changing Industry
In the past it was normal that the musical artist would sign away their rights to a record company for a contracted number of years and/or albumAlbum
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s. This resulted in the record label having almost complete control over the artist and their promotion for the duration of the contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
. However, since the recent and sudden impact of the digital age on music and on the distribution of music, artists have not only come closer to their audience, but further from the profit due to their lack of representation at the negotiating table. Because of this inequality, FAC has tried to ensure that featured musical artists are central in these deals and receive a fair share of the profits.
Bands such as Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
and Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
paved the way for such thinking. In 1999, Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
decided to turn down offers of a recording contract with an independent label and contacted their fans by email to ask them if they would be prepared to pay for the band’s next album in advance. This successful venture enabled the band to retain the rights to their own music instead of being forced to surrender their rights to a label in the traditional way. Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
famously (and independently of a label) released their 2007 album 'In Rainbows
In Rainbows
In Rainbows is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Radiohead. It was first released on 10 October 2007 as a digital download self-released, that customers could order for whatever price they saw fit, followed by a standard CD release in most countries during the last week of 2007. The...
' as an online digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
. However, despite the vast sums of money being made by websites such as iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
and Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
, the artists themselves receive little or none of the revenues. This provided incentive for the formation of FAC to help reshape the organisation of the music industry and provide a means for featured musical artists to profit directly from their own work.
Against the backdrop of dramatic falls in record sales in recent years this is seen as a crucial means by which artists can potentially make a living off their own work and create viable policies for the future of the industry. Equally, FAC has stressed the importance of not criminalising the ordinary fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
for digital downloads and instead would rather focus developing alternative forms of revenue.
Campaign stance and key demands
The FAC has taken a markedly different stance from the 'traditional music industry' on several key issues such as copyright termCopyright term
Copyright term is the length of time copyright subsists in a work before it passes into the public domain.- Length of copyright:Copyright subsists for a variety of lengths in different jurisdictions. The length of the term can depend on several factors, including the type of work Copyright term is...
extension and, in particular, online piracy where the FAC has argued against 'criminalizing fans' through prosecuting not for profit file sharing of music.
It lists the following six as its key demands:
- “An agreement by the music industry that artists should receive fair compensation whenever their business partners receive an economic return from the exploitation of the artists’ work.”
- “All transfers of copyright should be by license rather than by assignment.”
- “The ‘making available’ right should be monetized on behalf of featured artists and all other performers.”
- “Copyright owners to be obliged to follow a ‘use it or lose it’ approach to the copyrights they control.”
- “The rights for performers should be improved to bring them more into line with those granted to authors (songwriters, lyricists and composers).”
- “A change to copyright law which will end the commercial exploitation of unlicensed music purporting to be used in conjunction with ‘critical reviews’ and abusing the UK provisions for ‘fair dealing'.”