Members
Become a Member
Your Membership Agreement, which only takes effect if your application for membership is successful, vests in the Organisation the ownership of your performing and artistic works rights.
Membership for Writers
You can join COTT if you compose music, write lyrics or songs and satisfy all the following criteria:
- You are the original creator of a musical work
- Your work is publicly performed, broadcast or recorded for release to the public
Membership is not open to musicians unless they are also songwriters or composers. Membership is on an individual basis. If you write musical works with another person, he or she will also need to apply for membership.You do not need to be published to become a member.
Membership for Publishers
You can join COTT if you are a music publisher and you have publishing contracts covering at least five (5) musical works.
Print, complete, sign and return to COTT. Download forms and guidelines for publishers and writers. You will need Adobe Acrobat® (pdf reader) in order to view the downloaded form.
Membership Application Forms
Membership for Writers
Membership for Publishers
Your Application
When returning your COTT application, please be sure to include the following documents:- A completed and signed application form
- Copy of one form of ID
- Notification of Works Form(s) for at least one song that you have written
- Proof of performance of your work(s) (ticket stub, flyer, newspaper listing or advertisement, etc.)
- Copy of commercial release, if applicable
- Copy of songwriter/publisher agreement, if applicable
- Payment of application fee
Upon approval of your application, COTT will issue a membership contract to be signed and returned.
Legal Notice
Applicants should be aware that this is a legal document concerning the transfer by you of certain rights to the Copyright Org-Society and if you are in any doubt as to its effects you are advised to take legal advice before signing it. The assignment of rights will normally be for the territory of Trinidad and Tobago and jurisdictions where we share reciprocal rights. Find out more about our Caribbean and International affiliations.
COTT reserves the right to disclose to authorized organisations information concerning any of your compositions. COTT is not obligated to make royalty payments to you for performances of your works which take place prior to admission to membership. The date of your application is the effective date of your admission, unless there are issues arising from this application that must be sorted out before admission.
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Updates
28 October 2011 Machel and Kes the Band for the 2011 Soul Train Awards
The Soul Train Music Awards for 2011, have nominated both reigning Road March and Soca Monarch, Machel Montano, and Groovy Soca Monarch Kes Dieffenthaller of Kes the Band for the prestigious award in the category of Best Caribbean Performance with their hit singles, “Bend Over” and “Wotless”.
