PlayRight has distributed all rights for music recordings played, broadcast and lent in Belgium in 2013. This distribution amounts to € 7.095.648 and definitively closes the distribution of neighbouring rights for this reference year.

For one and the same reference year, a distribution of neighbouring rights always takes place in two stages: a payment will take place at the time of the first distribution and then a second and final payment will take place at the so-called final distribution. For a distribution of music rights, the first distribution always occurs one year after the year of broadcast.

This two-stage distribution allows, on the one hand, the time for performers to declare their full repertoire that could have been broadcast during that reference year. It is after this three-year retroactivity (the year of the first payment counts as one) that PlayRight can close a reference year and consider that for 2013, performers have had enough time to declare their repertoire.

On the other hand, this two-stage operation was also adopted by the nature of remunerations for neighbouring rights. For this distribution, the rights come from private copying, lending rights and equitable remuneration. For the equitable remuneration, it often happens that all licence payers have not paid the license the following year for the broadcast of recorded music in a place accessible to the public.

By 2014, PlayRight had made the first distribution of neighbouring rights for the reference year 2013 and had paid out close to € 2.4 million. The performers concerned by this distribution will, therefore, receive a communication mentioning the amount of their rights. If you notice an error in this distribution, you have 6 months after this payment to inform us with any objections. Please contact your Account Manager to do so.

For this final distribution, PlayRight distributed these music rights for the reference year 2013 to 43,910 performers, including 4773 PlayRight performers affiliated to PlayRight. In terms of amounts, 48% of these rights were attributed to PlayRight members and 52% to members represented by sister companies abroad.

How my rights have been calculated for this final distribution?

For this distribution, all the amounts collected for equitable remuneration, shares of the private copy and lending rights attributed to music for the reference year 2013 have been distributed. This definitively closes the distribution of music rights for this period.

Finally, the rules of this distribution are based on the general regulations in effect at the time. General regulations of 2014 considered that there were three categories of performers: a main artist (15 points), a conductor (10 Points) and a musician / singer (5 points).

You will find details of the rights you have been paid, as well as the full cast for each recording in your online portal by clicking on the Rights menu and then on the “Music 2013 final run” distribution. For personalized explanations, do not hesitate to contact your Account Manager.