A newly launched campaign is urging DJs, promoters, and brands to credit the artists behind the music they are sharing online. #RespectTheCreators is backed by the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) alongside a number of venues and artists, namely Richie Hawtin. It asks that when DJs post a video from their gig, or a mix where the music isn’t theirs, that they tag the artists behind the tracks, and list the full track names in the most visible part of the post.
Online platforms and promoters are also urged to credit any music featured in any shared sets or promotional materials for events. “I thought supporting the community and the musicians who make the musical structure that our scene (and DJs) stand on was simply common decency (and sense),” Hawtin comments (via ). “So why do we see so many social media posts from DJs, promoters and festivals that completely fail to tag the music being played in the clips? It’s disrespectful and only takes further advantage of the musicians who are already struggling for recognition and a fair share of the economic pie of our ‘beautiful’ culture.
” The campaign was partly inspired by research cited by Dutch DJ and producer Frank Nitzinsky at the International Music Summit (IMS) in Ibiza earlier this year. On average, only three percent of a DJ’s set is music that they have produced themselves, yet up to 90 percent of DJ performance content shared on Instagram does not provide any credit for the artists behind such music. AFEM COO Finlay Johnson says in a statement that while the campaign “may seem like a straightforward initiative, encouraging people to share and credit new music addresses significant challenges in the discoverability of emerging artists”.
Johnson further adds, “It also serves as a reminder for individuals to consider their metadata, which can directly enhance income through royalty collection. While white label and dubplate culture should be celebrated, the use of generic ‘original audio’ tags on social media does little to support artists. We encourage everyone to acknowledge and promote the team behind a record’s production and release.
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