Rights Management

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SOCAN administers and protects the performing and reproduction rights of more than 150,000 songwriters, music publishers, composers, and visual artists. We offer an integrated approach to rights management and compelling solutions for our rights holders’ reproduction and performing rights. Through reciprocal agreements with more than 100 copyright collectives in 214 countries, we collect and distribute royalties internationally for the use of copyrighted works, connecting millions of creators worldwide.

Performing Rights

The performing right is the right to perform a song or composition in public – such as in a live concert, background music, a radio or TV broadcast, a streaming playlist at a bar, or any other type of public performance. The performing right gives copyright owners of songs the sole right to perform, or authorize the performance in public, of their songs. SOCAN administers these performing rights on behalf of its members by collecting and distributing royalties when songs are publicly performed.

To have SOCAN manage your performing rights, sign up here.

Reproduction Rights

Music

The reproduction right gives rights holders’ of a song the sole right to authorize the reproduction of their work on various media, including CDs, records, and digital media. SOCAN administers these reproduction rights on behalf of the rights holders we represent by issuing licenses for the reproduction to such organizations as music labels and digital service providers.

Visual Arts and Crafts

The reproduction right gives rights holders' of an artistic work the sole right to authorize the reproduction of their work on various mediums, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, architectural works, engraving, photographs. SOCAN administers these reproduction rights on behalf of the rights' holder by issuing licenses for the reproduction of their members' works.

To learn more about reproduction rights, visit our Reproduction Rights Services page.

Music Publisher: The music publisher is the business partner in a musical composition. A good music publisher has the knowledge and contacts to promote a song or composition. Typically, a publisher enters into an agreement with the songwriter, whereby the songwriter assigns partial ownership and control of their songs to the publisher, in exchange for a percentage of the income derived from the exploitation of them. A reputable publisher never charges a fee for his/her service. To learn more, review SOCAN’s Publishing 101 in the Creators’ Toolbox.

deadmau5

deadmau5 (a.k.a. Joel Zimmerman) made the cover of Rolling Stone in 2012, and is the most recognized figure in electronic dance music – both for his mix of progressive house, techno, trance and repetitive beats, and for creating his memorable giant mouse head. The first Canadian musician to headline and fill Toronto’s cavernous Rogers Centre (capacity 54,000), the SOCAN member rocketed to the top of his game in an impressively short amount of time. deadmau5 has earned a SOCAN International Achievement Award, three JUNOs, five Beatport Awards, four electronic music DJ Awards, three International Dance Music Awards, and six Grammy nominations.