Iwer George The Mighty Sparrow

Benefits to Music Users

The value of music

The value of music is indisputable. Music is everywhere around us : on radio and television, in films, bars, clubs, discotheques, gyms, restaurants, hotels, offices, shopping malls, concerts, fetes, festivals, aeroplanes and taxis. Recordings of music are manufactured, sold, and distributed on a large scale. Music is an important facet of modern life.

The copyright owner of music whether it be the composer, songwriter, lyricist or publisher has a legal right to give permission for the use of music and receive payment in return for its use. On the other side of the equation is the value of music to "users" such as radio and television stations, cinemas, business premises, record & video companies.

COTT's service to music users

COTT facilitates users who would otherwise be legally obligated to get permission from copyright owners each time their music was performed in public, broadcast or recorded, which would probably be an expensive and difficult process. COTT aims to create simple, efficient and effective licensing and royalty collection procedures. By taking an appropriate COTT licence, paying the appropriate licence fee or royalties, any music user can legally use a wide range of music.

See Services

Obtaining a licence

In relation to public performances a music user is by law required to obtain a licence prior to playing the music in public. To assist in monitoring the public performance of music COTT employs Licensing Representatives. The main job of the Representative is to locate unlicensed music users and assist such users in obtaining a COTT licence. Persons who request a licence before they are contacted or before the staging of an event at which copyright music will be performed are charged a lower rate.

An application for a mechanical licence must be made before the product is produced, manufactured or imported. Similarly an application for a synchronisation licence must be made before the film, video or commercial is made. Applications for both mechanical and synchronisation licences must be made by contacting COTT's office.

Cost of a licence

The cost of a COTT public performance licence depends on the type of premises being licensed and the extent of music usage. There are several different tariffs from which the appropriate licence fee for different kinds of premises are calculated. Most of COTT's licensees are issued with an annual licence referred to as a "blanket" licence which gives them the right to use all of the musical works in COTT's repertoire (which includes foreign music). Under a blanket licence, licensees are not required to account or pay separately for each musical work performed.