SoundExchange Adds Tools To Get Songwriters Paid For 70M Address Unknown NOI Filings
SoundExchange subsidiary SXWorks has added two new tools developed to expand on its NOI LOOKUP service to help music publishers and songwriters search the more than 70 million address unknown Notice of Intention to Use (NOI) filings made with the U.S. Copyright Office.
The new tools include NOI Premium Services, available beginning on June 12, will give publishers and songwriters better search tools to claim unpaid mechanical royalties from digital service providers. The tool will also help content creators communicate with digital service providers and the U.S. Copyright Office, SoundExchange said.
“Development of NOI Premium Services is a direct result of interest in our NOI LOOKUP service and the demand for more services from the publishers who use NOI LOOKUP,” said Michael Huppe, Chairman of the Board of SXWorks. “Since the introduction of NOI LOOKUP, songwriters and publishers have asked us to advance our efforts to help them get paid fairly and accurately.”
SXWorks also announced the debut of Works Claiming, which helps publishers submit ownership claims and works shares to a digital service provider (DSP) for its use of a musical work. The service allows NOI Premium Services customers upload their works claims to SXWorks. SXWorks then sorts, formats and aggregates the uploaded file and forwards the rights owner’s claim and information to the proper contact at the DSPs identified by the publisher that filed NOIs for the musical work in question.
A flat fee of $100 covers the cost of submitting up to three Works Claiming spreadsheets during a one-year period, each with up to 500 titles listed.
If a songwriter or publisher requests the Recordation service, SXWorks will facilitate submission of the proper information and documents to the Copyright Office so the Office’s records are current and DSPs can locate a publisher’s contact information and ownership data.
The recordation fee is $75 per submission plus fees charged by the Copyright Office, SoundExchange said.
“These new services represent the next step in the evolution of NOI LOOKUP. We know that giving publishers more control by creating new tools will help us chip away at the problem surrounding NOIs and unpaid royalties,” Huppe said. “It’s also important to note that NOI LOOKUP and NOI Premium Services represent the latest innovation – following our International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) Search and our new Music Data Exchange (MDX) program launched last month – to help publishers and songwriters by bringing transparency and efficiency to the music industry.”
