WASHINGTON, D.C. (CelebrityAccess) — SoundExchange announced it has reached a reciprocal agreement with the South African Performance Rights Association (SAMPRA), allowing performers in both the U.S. and South Africa to be paid royalties for the use of their contributions to songs in both nations.
The deal, which is retroactive to the 2022 distribution period, will benefit performers from both countries when their music is used in a variety of ways encompassed by neighboring rights, such as inclusion in film and television projects, and radio play.
The agreement also includes the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund, which will benefit benefit non-featured artists, such as studio musicians, backup singers, and will see South African royalties deposited into the Fund administered by The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
“The successful execution of this agreement is directly tied to the advocacy SoundExchange demonstrates around the world on behalf of the creators we represent,” said Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. “I am pleased that our case for fairly paying creators for their work resonated so deeply with SAMPRA and has resulted in a significant step forward for U.S. performers.”
“The conclusion of this reciprocal agreement demonstrates SAMPRA’s commitment to properly administer neighboring rights in South Africa. With this agreement, we now have reciprocal agreements with all major neighboring rights CMOs across the globe” said Pfanani Lishivha, CEO of SAMPRA.
“As the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund continues our work to expand global collections on behalf of non-featured artists, we are gratified to add our newest partner, SAMPRA, to the many other international organizations the Fund collaborates with to ensure that non-featured artists are fairly compensated for their contributions to the music landscape,” said Stefanie Taub, CEO of AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund.
