One of our readers, Ev, came up with the suggestion to have a section devoted to newbie questions regarding music libraries, music licensing, copyright, music publishing etc. There a lot of experienced people on this site and many are happy to share their wisdom. So, if you are a newbie (or not), and have a question, try leaving it here.
Of course many questions have already been answered here. First try searching in the search bar in the upper right hand corner. Also Google is your friend! I have found one of the best ways to search a site is use site specific criteria at Google’s web site. In other words, to search for a specific keyword, say “contracts”, type it in at Google like this “contracts site:musiclibraryreport.com”. Do not use the quotes.
If you still can’t find your answer then leave a comment here and someone will most likely come to your rescue!
Just got a mail from Pump Audio that I had to send in the w-8ben form before they can proceed with my submissions.
I really hope I got it all right. Filing US tax forms aren’t all too easy since I’m from Sweden.
On the bottom of the form next to signature and name there’s a field that says: capacity in which acting. What do I write there?
It’s asking who you are. I’d put “composer”. You’re acting in the capacity of the composer.
John, thanks for helping out.
All though I wonder. Now when understanding better what it means. The W-8BEN form is called ” Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding”.
So maybe it’s Benficial Owner which is the “capacity in which (I’m) acting”???
Chris, if you make more than $600 with Pump Audio you will have to fill in a W7 (to get an ITIN number), otherwise Pump cannot legally pay you without witholding 30% tax in the US. I’d ask them why not just go straight to an ITIN number so this doesn’t come up later.
That’s interesting. I figured if they withhold tax in the US I wouldn’t have to pay in Sweden?
Anyone knows?
Also, why doesn’t other libraries like Music Dealers and Music Supervisor ask me to file this form?
@Chris I live in Ireland so have to go through the same stuff. I leave the “capacity in which acting ” field blank. It is for a person with a power of attorney or an agent to sign on your behalf if they are filling out the form for you. If you want you can put “beneficial owner” in here.
I am assuming you are not an agent or otherwise acting on someone’s behalf.
Ireland has a Tax treaty with the US and yes you can claim any withholding TAX back from your own TAX return. Sweden may be different, always check. I know we are both EU but you never assume anything where TAX is concerned.
A lot of US companies require this form. Get a PDF editor and fill it out once. Save the file so the next time you just sign it and send it off.
Good luck.
On the other hand… if you can get an ITIN number by sending the IRS a completed W7 form, then for the forseeable future the only thing you need to give any US company is that single number – and they will not withold any tax.
@anon It should be that simple but most companies require the completed form.
Thanks for the advice. I just emailed them. I don’t understand why they wouldn’t register them. Wouldn’t they want them registered for their own sake as well, so that they get their publishing monies? The 2nd library cd however hasn’t been released yet, so I’ll wait until it’s officially released before I make accusations.
Anon – Exclusive libraries: They register them prior to CD release. You should be alarmed if CD is released and the tracks are as yet unregistered.
I suggest a phone call to the library is in order.
Indeed.
Get in touch with the library asap and give them a polite nudge 😉
On registering your pieces with your PRO.
I have music with 2 exclusive libraries(about 20 tracks), both have stated that they’d register the music I’ve composed for them and not to do so myself. Do they usually do this as the pieces are used and reported to them? Should I be alarmed that they haven’t registered them yet after a few months of the cd release? If so should I contact BMI or the music library. It seems it’d make sense for them to do the registering as the pieces are used but I’m not sure. Thanks in advance for anyone who can give me an answer to this.
When you guys submit songs to your pro do you include shorter versions as alternate titles of the original or do you submit them seperately?
Thanks
Kevin
Sorry, I meant: does the PRS have affiliations with all those other ones? That list is what is affiliated with ASCAP.
Not sure.
Yes, PRS does have an affiliation with Canada’s society, SOCAN. I’m not sure about performance royalties for commercials in Canada. Some countries pay for commercials, other do not. If it pays like ASCAP you won’t see much unless you have a ton of airplay for a period of time.
Thanks for that list. Does anyone know who the PRS is affiliated with?
I take it from that, that a performance on Canadian TV counts then?
That’s an easy one. It’s on the list – United Kingdom PRS.
ASCAP has an agreement with these performance societies in these countries :
Affiliated Foreign Societies
Albania ALBAUTOR
Argentina SADAIC
Armenia ARMAUTHOR
Australia & New Zealand APRA
Austria AKM
Barbados COSCAP
Belgium SABAM
Benin BUBEDRA
Brazil UBC
Bulgaria MUSICAUTOR
Burkina Faso BBDA
Cameroon SOCINADA
Canada SOCAN
Central African Republic BUCADA
Chile SCD
Colombia SAYCO
Congo BCDA
Costa Rica ACAM
Croatia HDS/ZAMP
Czech Republic OSA
Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire SONECA
Denmark KODA
Dominican Republic SGACEDOM
Eastern Caribbean ECCO
Ecuador SAYCE
Egypt SACERAU
El Salvador SACIM
Estonia EAU
Finland TEOSTO
France SACEM
French Polynesia SPACEMF
Germany GEMA
Ghana COSGA
Greece AEPI
Guinea BGDA
Honduras AACIMH
Hong Kong CASH
Hungary ARTISJUS
Iceland STEF
India IPRS
Ireland IMRO
Israel ACUM
Italy SIAE
Ivory Coast BURIDA
Jamaica JACAP
Japan JASRAC
Kazakhstan KAZAK
Kenya MCSK
Korea KOMCA
Latvia AKKA-LAA
Lithuania LATGA-A
Macau MACA
Madagascar OMDA
Malawi COSOMA
Malaysia MACP
Mali BUMDA
Mauritius MASA
Mexico SACM
Morocco BMDA
Netherlands BUMA
Niger BNDA
Nigeria MCSN
Norway TONO
People’s Republic of China MCSC
Peru APDAYC
Philippines FILSCAP
Poland ZAIKS
Portugal SPA
Republic of Panama SPAC
Romania UCMR-ADA
Russia RAO
Senegal BSDA
Serbia & Montenegro SOKOJ
Singapore COMPASS
Slovakia Republic SOZA
Slovenia SAZAS
South Africa SAMRO
Spain SGAE
Sweden STIM
Switzerland SUISA
Taiwan MUST
Thailand MCT
Togo BUTODRA
Trinidad & Tobago COTT
Tunisia SODACT
Turkey MESAM
United Kingdom PRS
Uruguay AGADU
Venezuela SACVEN
Vietnam VCPMC
Zambia ZAMCOPS
Zimbabwe ZIMRA
Does anyone know which countries collect and distribute performance royalties? I’ve been trawling through Google but haven’t found anything useful.
I had a track used on a TV ad in Canada. Do they collect royalties? Should I be chasing for my distribution cut?
Thanks for the help as always!
(Sorry for posting this in the other thread too, please feel free to delete that one)
Wow never been to the newbie section before, I like the last couple of threads, about $$ from the UK, I’ve been in this business for 15 yrs now, and 90% of my income comes from UK Publishers, mainly Boosey & Hawkes or Imagem now or something like that, and Sonoton, can’t totally live off the income but I’m getting close…..
Dene