Owning the Masters: A History of Sound Recording Copyright (Alternate Takes: Critical Responses to Popular Music)

Record companies have derived contractual power and economic security. Their ownership places recording artists in an inferior legislative position, not only to the companies but also to their songwriting counterparts. Owning the Masters tells the story of sound recording copyright. It exposes the activities of record companies as they lobbied for this right and claimed it for themselves, and looks at the consequences of this ownership. Sound recording copyright also affects music, resulting in distinctive regulations regarding the infringement, versioning and licensing of recorded works. It encourages recording artists to cast themselves as composers if they wish to use copyright as a means for artistic recompense. Yet copyright is complex and contestable. This book addresses the changing environment as artists increasingly assume ownership of their recordings. It utilizes the history of this copyright to point towards the future, exploring alternatives to the existing copyright regime. "Owning the Masters provides the first in-depth history of sound recording copyright. It is this form of intellectual property that underpins the workings of the recording industry. Rather than being focused on the manufacture of goods, this industry is centred on the creation, exploitation and protection of rights. The development and control of these rights has not been straightforward. This book explores the lobbying activities of record companies: the principal creators, owners and defenders of sound recording copyright. It addresses the counter-activity of recording artists, in particular those who have fought against the legislative and contractual practices of record companies to claim these master rights for themselves. In addition, this book looks at the activities of the listening public, large numbers of whom have been labelled 'pirates' for trespassing on these rights. The public has played its own part in shaping copyright legislation. This is an essential subject for an understanding of the economic, artistic and political value of recorded sound."-- Provided by publisher "Record companies have derived contractual power and economic security. Their ownership places recording artists in an inferior legislative position, not only to the companies but also to their songwriting counterparts. Sound Investment tells the story of sound recording copyright. It exposes the activities of record companies as they lobbied for this right and claimed it for themselves, and looks at the consequences of this ownership. Sound recording copyright also affects music, resulting in distinctive regulations regarding the infringement, versioning and licensing of recorded works. It encourages recording artists to cast themselves as composers if they wish to use copyright as a means for artistic recompense. Yet copyright is complex and contestable. This book addresses the changing environment as artists increasingly assume ownership of their recordings. It utilizes the history of this copyright to point towards the future, exploring alternatives to the existing copyright regime."-- Provided by publisher "The story of how record companies gained ownership of sound recording rights and examines the consequences of this ownership for musical creation and reception"-- Provided by publisher Cover Contents Acknowledgements Introduction 1 Mechanizing 2 Performing 3 Producing 4 Expanding 5 Justifying 6 Networking 7 Owning Glossary Timeline Bibliography Index