SoundExchange Expands Overseas Ties, Drops All Foreign Administrative Fees

SoundExchange is expanding its global reach with five new reciprocal agreements with record label collection societies in France, Spain, Sweden, Ireland and Jamaica bringing their total number of international agreements to 22.  Ryan Lehning, previously Senior Counsel for SoundExchange, was recently named Director of International to lead these efforts.

SoundExchange has also become the first U.S. performing rights organization (PRO) to drop it's administrative fees on royalties collected for members from foreign PROs on or after January 1, 2012.  TuneCore CEO Jeff Price and others have been openly critical of artists being charged a “double-admin” fee by foreign PROs and their US counterparts.

In addition, Sound Exchange has joined the International Performer Database Association. Through IPDA, SoundExchange will exchange data with foreign PROs which could increase foreign royalty collections.