Now that the world has changed, and songwriters and performers can reach audiences and make money without needing either publishers or a record label (or under their own personal label). We need to be encouraging this modernization, and should be careful not to be seen as targeting these artists. We really are on their site (as fellow creators, as audiences), and need to be as helpful as we can.

I for one congratulate Jane for her breaking away from the intermediaries for her new music, even if her old works are still tied up by the way things were done in the past.

Note: For songwriters the collectives are mandated by law. Public performances (which includes transmission by radio) of music do not require permission from the songwriter, just payment of a levy. For Canada the rate of this levy is set by the Copyright Board of Canada.

P.S. While I was a fan of Jane’s music in the 1980’s, I re-connected more recently having met her in person at http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/ac-ca/progs/pda-cpb/forum/index_e.cfm

Of course the intermediares are the music publishers, who usually publish nothing and are in the business only for collecting a cut of the royalties earned from the songwriter’s effort and promotion.

Why do songwriters fall for the storyline of publishers?
They have not united, except in the publisher controlled collectives who are there to finish the job for the publishers.

Wake up songwriters.