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Business News Deals Labels & Publishers
BPI and MU agree on new deal for session musicians
By CMU Editorial | Published on Wednesday 1 June 2011
Record label trade body the BPI and the Musicians’ Union have reached an agreement on new simplified contracts for session musicians, which the two trade bodies say offer musicians enhanced remuneration and labels the increased flexibility they need in the ever changing record industry.
The new contracts, one for studio recordings and one for live recordings, consolidate three old agreements, and it’s hoped will make things easier for labels hiring MU musicians. The contract allows for a basic rate and additional fees, and give labels a broader package of musicians’ consents up front.
Confirming an agreement had been reached, MU General Secretary John Smith told CMU: “We recognise the difficulties that the record industry has faced in recent years. This agreement represents a new way of working, and we hope that it will lead to increased employment in this valuable sector as well as helping to showcase British musicians as amongst the best in the world”.
BPI top dog Geoff Taylor added: “The working partnership between musicians and record labels is at the very heart of the recorded music business. The new agreement delivers greater payments to UK musicians in return for more flexible rights for UK labels, which will make it easier to commercialise recordings in the digital environment. This will help make the UK recorded music industry more competitive and more successful, and secure more work in the UK for our musicians”.
