Indie labels unite to support "Fair Digital Deals Declaration"

The “Fair Digital Deals Declaration” has been set up by the Worldwide Independent Network, with current labels involved ​including XL Recordings, Sub Pop, Domino, 4AD, Matador, Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Saddle Creek, Captured Tracks, Mute, Brainfeeder and more.

In signing the declaration, imprints promise to:

1. Ensure that artists’ share of download and streaming revenues is clearly explained in recording agreements and royalty statements in reasonable summary form.
2. Account to artists a good-faith pro-rata share of any revenues and other compensation from digital services that stem from the monetization of recordings but are not attributed to specific recordings or performances.
3. Encourage better standards of information from digital services on the usage and monetization of music.
4. Support artists who choose to oppose, including publicly, unauthorized uses of their music.
5. Support the collective position of the global independent record company sector.

“The bedrock of trust between artists and labels is artists receiving a fair share of the revenue that is earned from their work, where labels convey financial terms transparently and comprehensibly to artists,” said Secretly Group co-founder Darius Van Arman.

“Our signing of the Labels’ ‘Fair Digital Deals Declaration’ demonstrates our commitment to this ideal and is an invitation to all industry participants to make the same commitment.”

The news follows reports of Youtube “bullying” indie labels with their new licensing deals.

[via Pitchfork]